Eddie Howe has stressed that Newcastle United can win games without Allan Saint-Maximin - even if there is 'no one' like the Frenchman in the Premier League.
Newcastle sorely felt the absence of their injured talisman once again in the 1-1 draw against Bournemouth at St James' Park on Saturday. Newcastle may have hit the woodwork twice and had 20 shots, eight corners and 73% possession, but the Magpies lacked the X-Factor that Saint-Maximin would have provided against the Cherries' low block.
Saint-Maximin has been directly involved in 38% of Newcastle's league goals this season and the mercurial forward's ability to dribble past a defender and pull a rabbit out of the hat have certainly been missed. In fact, Howe's side have picked up just two points from a possible nine in recent weeks without Saint-Maximin after he suffered a hamstring injury last month.
