Jonjo Shelvey will be eased back into the fold at Newcastle United after making Eddie Howe's matchday squad for the first time this season at the weekend. Shelvey was an unused substitute for the 0-0 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford as the Magpies struggled in front of goal.
The creative midfielder has been on the treatment table since early August and was expected to be missing until after the winter World Cup. Howe has confirmed Shelvey will return before the showpiece but only after he has improved his fitness.
"Jonjo's a huge personality, huge player," the Newcastle boss told reporters. "I'd love to have been able to bring him on today but it was probably difficult to do that.
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"He's at the very early stages of being fit and available so I didn't want to risk him at all. It's a very cautious approach with him at the moment.
"So we might not see him have an effect in the team short-term but certainly with more training and more building of his fitness levels, he's got a bit part to play in the coming weeks."
Howe has also been without Allan Saint-Maximin and Alexander Isak in recent games and the duo are set for extended spells on the sidelines after respective setbacks.
Speaking after the game, Howe admitted watching first-team injury concerns continue to mount at St James' Park is proving difficult. "We'd love to make more changes than we're able to at the moment due to being stretched as a squad," he told reporters.
"The problem is when the injured players don't come back on the timescales they're scheduled. We're going to get fresh injuries, it's part of the game. So then the situation looks pretty difficult. Touch wood we can keep the majority of our players through this busy period and then get some strength back soon."
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