Newcastle United have not had long to rest before taking on Manchester City, but Eddie Howe has looked to silence any concerns about his players not being ready for the weekend fixture.
Manchester City will be well prepared ahead of their clash against Newcastle United. The journey from the west side of the country to the east is not the quickest, but Pep Guardiola’s squad have had a week to get well rested and prepare for the upcoming game.
Newcastle on the other hand are yet to go a week during the current calendar year without having to fulfil two matches.
Most recently, the mid-table Premier League side ventured to Azerbaijan in the Champions League, where they emerged as 6-1 winners over Qarabag.
Eddie Howe hopes his team will be ready to face Manchester City
Eddie Howe is well aware of the impact such a congested fixture list has had on his team, but he is still hopeful this will not have negative implications on Saturday.
The manager has insisted that Newcastle must deliver their best possible performances, regardless of their current circumstances.
He said: “It was a late night for us [after playing Qarabag]. We got back 4am, maybe later. Sleep was an issue. A good night’s rest for them last night and there’s another night to go, so hopefully they will be all right.”
Turning his attention to what is required of Newcastle, Howe added: “You have to [deal with midweek travel]. I don’t think there’s a choice there.
“In some respects, the necessity to recover and be at your best again is a sobering thought when you play Man City and that in itself focuses the mind to not look for excuses.
“We have to turn up and be the best version of ourselves and give everything we can to win another game. The players know they have to be ready.”
Howe’s comments could have Man City feeling good
It seems Howe is not convinced his team will be able to be at their very best during Man City’s visit, because of what was required of them in the week.
The Englishman’s comments are very much centred around hopefulness and requirements, but he does not give a clear-cut answer that Newcastle are well and truly ready for City.
This hands the visitors an advantage going into the match and it could prove key in ensuring a victory is secured.
