Eddie Howe confirms whether Joe Willock has trained for Newcastle ahead of Leicester City clash

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Newcastle United are sweating on the fitness of Joe Willock once again.

The 25-year-old endured a rotten 2023/24 season through injury, and now Joe Willock has another fitness problem.

Willock was injured for the Brentford game, with a minor hamstring issue ruling him out. Not having him at the Gtech Community Stadium was a blow, but Eddie Howe did at least admit that it did not look like a serious injury.

Next up for Newcastle United is Leicester City at home, followed by Brentford again in the cup just a few days later.

What Eddie Howe has said about Joe Willock’s fitness

With a crucial run of games on the horizon, Eddie Howe needs his strongest squad possible.

Callum Wilson is out injured again, with the forward set to miss the next two months of action.

However, the outlook on Willock is a bit more positive, with Eddie Howe providing an update on the former Arsenal man during his pre-match press conference.

“Joe Willock we haven’t seen train yet but he’s making good progress,” he said.

Newcastle need game-changer Willock ahead of busy period

While Willock has not trained as of yet ahead of the game against Leicester, that does not necessarily mean he is unavailable to face the Foxes.

Newcastle still have one more training session to go before Saturday’s game, so there is still time for Willock to prove his fitness and make himself available.

Even if he is fit to feature, there is no way he will start on Saturday. In truth, Howe may not even start him for the crucial Carabao Cup clash with Brentford.

But Willock can provide quality in reserve. He is a great option to have on the bench, with his ability to drive with the ball allowing him to be a game-changer.

That is what Howe needs, and he will hope to include Willock in his squad to face Leicester City.

The Newcastle United manager insists he is making good progress, while the Daily Mail reported on Thursday night that Willock is in line to be fit for Saturday’s Premier League contest.