Newcastle United winger Allan Saint-Maximin was left out of the Toon team to face Sheffield Wednesday due to an illness in the build-up up to the game.
The French winger was a surprising omission from the team sheet with no indication of the illness before the encounter away to the Owls during Friday's press conference. Saint-Maximin played just three minutes of the 0-0 draw at Arsenal and has not started a Premier League game since August due to muscle injuries.
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United boss Eddie Howe also rested Callum Wilson as a precaution after a recent illness to allow him to get a full recovery. And Nick Pope was also merely rested as Martin Dubravka made his return to the team after a loan stint at Man United. Dubravka will be cup-tied for the clash against Leicester hinting at Pope taking his place back on Tuesday given his heroics in previous rounds in the League Cup.
Explaining his changes, Howe told BBC Sport: "Callum’s come off a long illness, the game against Arsenal and this in quick succession we decided to rest him today. Maxi felt under the weather after training yesterday so he’s missing."
Saint-Maximin accepted in an interview in Saudi Arabia that he was no longer an automatic pick for the Magpies. He said then: "I just keep working hard to be honest. I have nothing to say because the team win.
"When the team win you just try to do everything when you come on, finally I am not important the team are more important than me. People like Joelinton really deserve to play because he helps in that position, I just have to work hard."
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