Newcastle United’s non-international players are currently on a warm weather training trip to Dubai during the international break.
Eddie Howe took his players to Saudi Arabia in January and it did the trick in terms of team bonding and cohesion, sparking the run which looks to have taken Newcastle away from safety.
On the back of two narrow late defeats, Newcastle need a similar impact in terms of resting and recovering and it has also allowed Callum Wilson to step up his injury recovery.
Doing some training with the ball is a step forward for Wilson, who was spotted doing gym work with his teammates earlier this month.
From the looks of the photos, he is doing ball work away from the rest of his teammates, so there is another step forward to make.
It would be a big boost if the £20 million (Sky Sports) man could make it before the end of the trip and be back fit as soon as possible for the run-in.
Chris Wood has done a good job of leading the line tirelessly in Wilson’s absence, settling into the demands of his new club as well as the pressure of a relegation battle.
But he has just one goal to his name so far, the strike at Southampton, and Wilson is a proven goal threat and would make Newcastle stronger in terms of having an alternative approach.
That would probably help both men; Wilson need not be rushed back because Wood is an experienced marksman who can keep ploughing on as he has been.
But the New Zealander would probably appreciate someone to either play up front alongside or give him the odd breather.
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