Eddie Howe calls up four Newcastle United youngsters to first-team training amid player shortage

Four Newcastle United youngsters have trained with Eddie Howe’s first team ahead of Saturday’s friendly against Rayo Vallecano (kick-off 12:30pm).

Alex Murphy, Jay Turner-Cooke and Lewis Miley were included on the trip to Saudi Arabia last week and have remained part of Howe’s squad as they prepare to host the La Liga outfit at St James’ Park.

England under-18s international goalkeeper Max Thompson also enjoyed further senior experience after training alongside Loris Karius, Karl Darlow and Mark Gillespie.

Joe White and Dylan Stephenson - the latter scored a late goal in the 5-0 win over Saudi Pro League champions - weren’t captured in the club’s latest batch of training photos but could still be involved this weekend.

Newcastle welcome Vallecano to Tyneside in their final warm-up match before the 2021-22 season resumes on Tuesday, with Bournemouth the visitors in the last 16 of the Carabao Cup.

With just three days separating both fixtures, Howe will be keen to utilise his options, which could present more minutes to United’s young guns.

Indeed, the five under-21s players that travelled to Riyadh - Murphy, Turner-Cooke, Miley, White and Stephenson - featured off the bench at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium last Thursday.

United have been without eight first-team players, although Callum Wilson and Kieran Trippier did report back to the club’s Benton HQ on Wednesday after flying home from Qatar on Sunday following England’s World Cup exit.

Nick Pope, Bruno Guimaraes and Fabian Schar have been granted extra time off following their time at the World Cup but the trio are expected to return soon.

Alexander Isak has already been ruled out of the game against Vallecano as he continues his recovery from a thigh injury. Paul Dummett (back) and Emil Krafth (ACL) remain on the sidelines.