Newcastle United take on Arsenal on Sunday, and look set to be boosted by the return of Allan Saint-Maximin.
Eddie Howe has been unable to call upon Saint-Maximin during Newcastle‘s previous five games, with the Frenchman picking up a hamstring injury.
He has not been seen since the 5-1 win over West Ham United, and there were fears that his season could be over.
However, he has now returned to the club’s training ground after a spell in France, and has told fans that he is ‘back’ via his official Instagram account.
Newcastle to name Saint-Maximin on the bench against Arsenal
The club released a selection of photos from Thursday’s training session, but Saint-Maximin was nowhere to be seen.
However, he is still expected to return this weekend. That is according to the Telegraph, who report that the 26-year-old will ‘almost certainly’ be on the bench against Arsenal.
That is excellent news, as it means Howe will have even more options to choose from. It is going to be an incredibly difficult game against the Premier League title contenders, but it is the type of occasion that ASM often rises to.
He has a history of impressing in big games at St James’ Park, and that is exactly what Sunday’s encounter will be.
But while he is due to return, it is no surprise that he will begin on the bench rather than in the starting lineup. Howe will be keen to manage the winger carefully following his latest muscle problem. The last thing he needs is another setback.
Hopefully it does not take him long to get back up to speed, as he was playing brilliantly before his recent spell out with injury. We were starting to see the Maxi of old, which is a terrifying thought for Premier League defenders.
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