Elliot Anderson was told to get ready to come on against Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend before the second half got complicated for Newcastle United.
At 1-0 it seemed like the 20-year-old was about to get a chance after the break before a flurry of Wolves changes and an equaliser for the visitors changed the course of the game. Thankfully, Newcastle pushed on to win it through a substitution of their own as Miguel Almiron came off the bench to score at St James' Park.
It has proved to be a difficult season for Anderson in some ways after he was pulled back from joining Luton Town or West Brom on loan in the summer. Back in the summer, Howe pledged to give Anderson his opportunity in the Premier League but his only start came vs Liverpool on the day Nick Pope was sent off, prompting an early withdrawal for the Whitley Bay lad.
When asked about Anderson's development ahead of the final 13 matches, Howe said: "He's had a good couple of weeks in training, I'd say.
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“I'm sure if you asked him, he'd say he's had a frustrating season to this point, because he's had a number of little niggly injuries, nothing serious, in the early part of the season which really restricted his time on the pitch.
"Now he's come back to full fitness, and he's been fit for a while, so he's now built that resilience in his body. He looks in a good place, he's certainly going to be needed, and he's going to get opportunities between now and the end of the season."
Whether that comes at Nottingham Forest on Friday night remains to be seen. With Joelinton banned, Sean Longstaff and Joe Willock made up the midfield with Bruno Guimaraes.
Howe hinted at squad rotation again but with Longstaff and Willock teaming up to provide the winner for Almiron last weekend, you might not bet on Anderson forcing his way in on Friday night. Of course, Howe always has a surprise or two up his sleeve and he also hinted at one or two knocks before the game.
For Anderson, it has been a learning curve with the youngster knowing all about the demands of a Premier League season without writing his name across it just yet. The Academy product must stay patient though and next season, with European football potentially back on the menu, promises to be a different campaign altogether with even more opportunities up for grabs.
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