Eddie Howe will return to the Newcastle United dugout for the Premier League clash against Ipswich Town. Howe has missed the last three matches after suffering with pneumonia.
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00:00So yeah, we are at Newcastle United Media Centre where we've been speaking to Eddie Howe
00:05ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash against Ipswich Town at St James' Park.
00:11Great to see Eddie Howe back in the hot seat this morning.
00:15It's been a difficult couple of weeks for him following his pneumonia diagnosis
00:21but he's returned to work this week, returned to the training ground on Wednesday,
00:26took his press duties this morning and will be on the touchline for the Ipswich game on Saturday.
00:33Eddie spoke to the media for around about half an hour and as you can imagine,
00:38most of the questions were regarding his health scare, the process of how he ended up being ill
00:44during that Leicester game. Actually, he revealed that he was unwell for that Leicester win on the Monday night.
00:51The players then had a couple of days off.
00:53Eddie Howe then tried to come in to training, to prepare for the Manchester United game.
00:57Couldn't, of course, then went from being bedridden to being admitted to hospital.
01:04He'd been in constant contact with the club doctor here, Paul Catterson.
01:09So yeah, he ended up going to hospital on Friday.
01:13From then he was diagnosed with pneumonia and ever since then it's just been a recovery process.
01:18Eddie Howe and he thanked the NHS for their unbelievable support to him.
01:24Of course, he's taken the last couple of weeks to recover, as I say.
01:29Handed the reins to Jason Tindall.
01:31Eddie Howe had no contact whatsoever with Jason Tindall.
01:35So he totally left it up to his assisting coach whilst he recovered.
01:38But now, yeah, around a fortnight on from Eddie Howe as I admitted to hospital,
01:43he is back to work at Newcastle United.
01:46And yeah, it's no surprise to see Eddie Howe back so soon.
01:49I think maybe many other people would have, you know, taken the time,
01:54not rushed themselves back.
01:55And there's maybe no suggestion to say that Eddie Howe has rushed himself back.
02:00But he's certainly back quickly, shall we say, as I say.
02:04He's only in hospital two weeks ago.
02:05So it speaks volumes about him, the man that he is,
02:08that he wants to get back to work and really help Newcastle United get over the line
02:11in the last five games of the Premier League season in terms of Champions League qualification.
02:17They're still in a really, really good position.
02:19I know they got beat off Aston Villa last weekend,
02:21but Aston Villa's defeat to Manchester City in midweek mean that Newcastle can't open up
02:25a five-point gap on Aston Villa this weekend.
02:28Then you've got four games left.
02:30If you can edge Aston Villa out of the race,
02:33you've only got to worry about Chelsea, Reedy, Manchester City, of course,
02:37are there as well, Nottingham Forest.
02:40But I think Manchester City will be the team that to definitely get Champions League football,
02:44just what they are there.
02:45They've picked up form again.
02:46The Premier League champions are currently the Premier League champions
02:50until Liverpool don't win it.
02:51But I expect Manchester City to finish third.
02:55And then, as I say, you've got Chelsea and Nottingham Forest.
02:57And then Aston Villa isn't ruled out, but as I say,
02:59it's a big opportunity for Newcastle to open up a points gap on Aston Villa
03:03this weekend against the Ipswich Town side.
03:05That if they lose, it's St. James' Park will be relegated.
03:08Or even, sorry, even if they've drawn St. James' Park,
03:10they will be relegated.
03:12So it's a big opportunity for Newcastle this weekend
03:14to edge closer to Champions League football.
03:16In terms of team news, Newcastle expect to have Fabian Scher available.
03:22He obviously scored at Villa Park last Saturday.
03:26He was given a tough time, though, by the Aston Villa front line.
03:29He had to come off in the final 10 minutes after feeling his hamstring,
03:33but Newcastle expect him to be fine.
03:35Sven Bottmann has trained this week.
03:37He's back on the grass,
03:37but Eddie Howe said it was very early stages,
03:40which may be cast out on his involvement,
03:42but shows that he is edging closer to a return.
03:46And, yeah, the rest of the team is pretty much the same.
03:48From the Aston Villa game,
03:49there was no fresh absences reported in there.
03:52So, yeah, as I say,
03:54a big opportunity for Newcastle this weekend.
03:55Thank you, man.