Newcastle United duo spotted at training ground ruled out v PSV Eindhoven
Newcastle United team news ahead of the Champions League clash at home to PSV Eindhoven.
Dan Burn and Will Osula won’t be available for Newcastle United’s Champions League clash at home to PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday evening.
The pair were spotted in training on Tuesday afternoon, hinting at their involvement against the Dutch league leaders. However, Eddie Howe has confirmed the game will come too soon for both players.
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Burn has been ruled out for the last five weeks after sustaining a rib and lung injury in the 1-0 Tyne-Wear derby away to Sunderland, while Osula has been sidelined since the beginning of November after succumbing to an ongoing ankle injury.
Newcastle United issue official Dan Burn and Will Osula injury update
"Dan's making really good progress,” Howe revealed at his pre-match press conference. “The journey back he's had, he's pretty much stuck to the timelines we expected but he wont make tomorrow, it's too early.
“Same with Will Osula, this was their first day with the team but hopefully they're not too far away."
Burn’s absence means Newcastle still only have just four senior defenders available in Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schar, Sven Botman and Dan Burn.
Fabian Schar last Thursday underwent surgery on his ankle and will be sidelined until April, while there is no definitive return date for Emil Krafth or Jamaal Lascelles.
Newcastle United Champions League state of play ahead of PSV clash
The Magpies are on the brink of qualifying for the knockout stages of the competition, with a single point from their remaining two matches likely to be enough to guarantee a play-off spot.
And Howe’s side will hope to get the job done this week to remove any kind of pressure heading into next Wednesday’s daunting trip to current holders Paris Saint-Germain.
United sit 12th in the Champions League table. Finishing anywhere between 9th and 24th will see them compete in a two-legged play-off game in February, with the winner advancing into the round of 16.
Howe’s men must finish inside the top eight to progress into the last 16 automatically, though that would require them to beat both PSV and PSG, and hope results elsewhere go in their favour.
"We'll relish the two games we have to come,” Howe said. We have to win the two games in front of us, starting with tomorrow. It's a great game for us. "PSV are a very good team. I've been impressed in the research we've done on them and the way they've been playing. It's set up to be a great game."