Newcastle United take part in their first pre-season friendly of the summer on Saturday as they welcome neighbours Gateshead to Darsley Park for a behind-closed-doors friendly. Eddie Howe will finally get a proper glimpse of some of his new additions, plus some familiar faces who have returned from loan spells elsewhere.
For some, the friendly clash will be seen as nothing more than a glorified training session. But Howe will be demanding an impressive showing from his stars as they bid to impress before the trips to Austria and Portugal.
Speaking towards the end of last season, the Newcastle boss made it clear that under his leadership there were no free hits for Newcastle - and every game, even pre-season friendlies, were ones his side must aim to win.
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"We want our team to be right for every game," Howe said after the 2-0 win at Arsenal in May. "But I don't think we've backed off our high standards and I don't think we can either.
"Our standards have to be higher than that. As we head in to next season we have to put markers down for how we want to be as a team. There is no such thing as a dead game for Newcastle. Not even a pre-season friendly in my eyes. We are very proud to represent the club and we have to represent it in the right way.
Saturday's friendly clash will likely see Howe use more than 22 players, switching his entire XI halfway through the game. The local tie will see new additions given a run out, despite no fans being allowed to attend the fixture.
Sven Botman met his Newcastle team-mates for the first time earlier this week as he begins life on Tyneside following last month's big-money move. The Dutchman is in line to make his debut, along with goalkeeper Nick Pope.
Kieran Trippier, Bruno Guimaraes, Miguel Almiron and Fabian Schar all reported to Darsley Park in recent days after they were a slightly later return date due to their international exploits in June.
Most of Howe's squad were back at the Benton training base on July 1 and put through their paces by the Magpies' coaching staff. The likes of Callum Wilson, Allan Saint-Maximin and Ryan Fraser will all likely to be ready to go after documenting their fitness routines as they holidayed abroad during the summer recess.
Gateshead player-manager and former Newcastle United defender Mike Williamson could also give himself a run out against his old side and admits he is relishing the fixture. "It'll be a fantastic game and opportunity for us to test ourselves against a very, very good team, obviously some of the best players in the world," he told Gateshead's official website.
"We've got a way of playing regardless of the opposition, we go about to try and get the ball and play the way we want the game to be played."
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