Good morning and welcome to Eddie Howe's pre-match press conference as Newcastle United prepare for the visit of Brentford.
A place in the Carabao Cup semi final awaits the winner on Wednesday as the Magpies look to build on Saturday's 4-0 win over Leicester City. Howe will be hoping to have emerged unscathed from the Premier League victory and will be updating us on his players' fitness this morning.
Sven Botman returned from injury as he featured for Newcastle's under 21 side on Monday evening. There'll also be talk of January plans as the winter window draws ever closer.
Is a trophy the best way to guarantee European football?
I don’t think we’ve necessarily had those conversations. I don’t think a lowering of expectations has happened internally. There hasn’t been one moment where we’ve gone, 'We can’t do this or we can’t achieve that'.
I don’t think that’s healthy either. From my viewpoint, I would not encourage that from an internal perspective either because your players will soon pick up if you’re not ambitious or think something is not possible. I always like to think the impossible is possible, especially with my players. I push them to believe we can achieve anything. In saying that, there has to be some kind of realistic expectation externally, because the external expectation will harm us internally.
The external view from media and everyone alike has to be moulded around our reality. Our reality has been very different in the last two transfer windows.
Howe bemoans PSR...
I would say it has had a dramatic effect on the speed of the journey. That has dramatically changed because of the rules. You can feel that change as everybody gets to grips with PSR.
And the actual reality of it. Because I think there was a period of time where it was unclear on how it would change and what the punishments would be. The punishments are now very real for the clubs and there is nothing more sobering than a points deduction in terms of changing what you have to do to comply.
I think that has been the biggest change in our reality in what we can and can't do. And of course that will effect our ability to change things with our view to winning a trophy.
Home advantage key
That gave us a great feeling, we have such a powerful force at home with our supporters. We need to execute our plan well and continue where we left off against Leicester.
Are Newcastle's attackers now going to start flying?
I think confidence is huge. I think you can see the attacking players start to feel really good.
We got 2 to 3 in front [vs Leicester] and there was an extra bit of quality that confidence gives you. I think we've been on the verge of producing those kinds of displays for a while, but we haven't, for whatever reason.
Now you hope that we can be a bit looser in our play which is so important from an attacking sense. That you have that freedom and that ability to create and take chances in the final third. Hopefully we can gain that from the Leicester match.
Huge praise for Hall
MOTM on Saturday?
I think his technical ability has been outstanding, defensively he has been pretty good, how he has handled himself and his maturity on and off the pitch has been high level.
Dubravka's return
Martin played really well, I think he was very calm in possession and gave us a really good platform to build from at the back, a vastly experienced head, I think he can be very pleased with his return to the team.
Stringing results together after Leicester rout
Those two games have been really good performances [Liverpool and Leicester], the problem for us was Brentford was sandwiched in-between it, and we didn’t like ourselves in that one. We back ourselves from an attacking sense with the players we have and it was good to see us score the goals we did at the weekend. Our only focus is on Brentford and winning this match.
Eddie wants a trophy!
Well you're right in the respect that that is what we're here [to win trophies], that's what I made it very clear when I came to Newcastle.
I know I speak on behalf of the players and coaching staff in that respect, so when you get to this part of the competition we recognise that's our goal and what we're trying to do.
It's not easy to do, as everyone knows, but these games take huge importance.
Longstaff is BANNED for Brentford
Longstaff has two Carabao Cup bookings so far this season...
Yeah, as you say, slightly strange with how the booking system works now - so yes, we lose Sean [for Brentford] and then we lose Joelinton [for Ipswich]
But I think that is a position that we have strength in depth with Joe Willock coming back to fitness and Lewis Miley playing again last night, which is good.
Any fresh injuries after Leicester, Eddie?
I don't believe so. We still have training today, of course, so we look forward to that, but at the moment I think from Saturday we're fine.
When will we see Botman in the first team?
I think we were looking right to the end of December, beginning of January, that's the plan and we're still on track with the plan.
I think the length of time that he's been out ideally he needs two to three, maybe even more games, to get his rhythm back.
Botman is back!
The Dutchman played 60 minutes for Newcastle U21's last night...
I don't know how he is this morning but he was good last night. We exchanged messages after the game, he seemed in a really good place. He looked good on the pitch. His movement was good, he was typical Sven - commanding & a big presence on the pitch.
We've missed him but there's still a way to go until he returns to us.
Howe's here!
Updates to follow here...
While we wait for Eddie...
There's been a bit of transfer news overnight...
Newcastle United have agreed "a deal in principle" for Martin Dubravka ahead of the January window - according to strong reports in Saudi Arabia.
A permanent deal with Al-Shabab has been set up according to Ariyadhiah with a move to the Saudi Pro League a big possibility for the long-serving United stopper. Dubravka made his return to action in the Premier League win over Leicester City at the weekend and kept a clean sheet in the 4-0 win over the Foxes.
The Monday Show!
Aaron Stokes and Andrew Musgrove were in fine spirits as they discussed Saturday's rampant win over Leicester and looked ahead to Brentford. Listen here:
Latest transfer news
While we wait for Eddie's presser to begin, you can keep up with all the latest transfer news, rumour and analysis.
Good morning!
We'll have live updates from Benton later so stick with us throughout the morning!
