Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe will make a late call on some of his international stars ahead of the trip to Tottenham this weekend.
Bruno Guimarães only returned on Thursday night after a long-haul flight from South America after being on duty for Brazil while Chris Wood has played three games for New Zealand in Qatar during World Cup qualifiers. But both have the best part of the weekend to rest.
Howe has competition for places in midfield and also has Dwight Gayle vying for a slot in his frontline. When asked about returning international stars, Howe said: "He’s back. I haven’t seen him yet. This will be the first day I’ve seen him as with all the international players. Certainly, we’ll take it on an individual basis.
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"I think the travelling time is probably the biggest concern. I know what I feel like after a long flight. I think we have to talk with the players, see how they feel and make a decision based on that."
Howe was delighted to see Wood become New Zealand's all-time leading scorer after goals against minnows such as New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands. He added: "Knowing him as I do, he’s a very humble, down to earth guy, a brilliant professional and team player. He deserves that recognition. I’m looking forward to seeing him. I haven’t seen him yet but obviously we’ve communicated."
Bruno also bagged a goal during the international break against Bolivia while Miguel Almiron was also on the scoresheet against Ecuador. Howe knows that won't do any harm to the confidence of his stars.
He said: "I am also pleased for Bruno to get his first goal for Brazil and for Miggy to score. Hopefully, for those guys that have gone away, it’s been a really good time for them."
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