Newcastle United's trip to Dubai is now done and dusted with Eddie Howe happy with the balance of relaxation and training for his squad in the Middle East.
The Magpies now return to their Benton base for the rest of the build-up to next Sunday's clash in the Premier League against Manchester United. After winning two matches in a row in the top-flight against Wolverhampton Wanderers and then Nottingham Forest, United certainly had some momentum building before the disruption of the international break but there have also been some benefits.
Here are some of the key players to take advantage of the sunshine of Dubai.
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Anthony Gordon
The £45million man has yet to really get started at Newcastle after finding himself first cup-tied for the latter stages of the Carabao Cup and then picking up an ankle injury ruling him out of the Wolves and Forest games. Gordon underwent a scan which showed complexities of his ankle problem two weeks ago.
His rehab has continued in the warm and pleasant settings of Dubai and he will now be assessed further at the club's Benton HQ. The initial "aim" in the words of Howe was to get Gordon back for the Man United game and he could only have benefited from the trip.
Allan Saint-Maximin
The French winger didn't get good reviews against Forest after coming off at half-time but it was later revealed he'd be suffering with a hamstring injury. For all that, Saint-Maximin still played a part in setting up the equaliser at the City Ground.
Howe knows he is still a talent and he will be used in the run-in. Using their stay in Dubai to allow Saint-Maximin to rest then train, could be just at the right time for the French star.
Callum Wilson
The striker has been feeling under the weather in recent weeks and has lost his place to Alexander Isak. But slowly he is returning back to full fitness.
Howe expected the warm weather training to benefit both Wilson and Saint-Maximin and said last week: "Hopefully, we’ll have Callum and Maxi fit and available after the international break."
Miguel Almiron
The playmaker was withdrawn from training on the eve of the clash at the City Ground and then pulled out of the Paraguay squad to face Chile in a friendly next week. Almiron wasn't in Dubai but started the rehab of a his estimated six-week lay off well with a stint of light training at Benton.
Almiron posted a picture of himself on the exercise bike with a caption reading "non-stop" and you get the feeling he might be able to shave some time off his projected comeback date. Newcastle's break came at a good time for a player that had just sustained injury.
If he was back to play a part in the crunch game with Spurs nobody would complain.
Emil Krafth
The Sweden international has missed the majority of the season and it is still uncertain whether he plays again. A cameo appearance at the end of the campaign would mark the end of a long process for the right-back that suffered a bad knee injury in the cup away to Tranmere.
Krafth has been with Newcastle in Dubai and has been able to enjoy the camaraderie with team-mates again during their stay in a luxury hotel. The Sweden defender did the same in Riyadh in December and is on course for a return in the middle of the year.
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