Newcastle injury news: Bruno Guimaraes boost, Lewis Miley, Anthony Gordon update before Chelsea trip

Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe has delivered a fresh update on the fitness of star midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.

The 28-year-old has missed the last eight Magpies matches across all competitions after sustaining a hamstring injury which required treatment in his native Brazil.

Howe recently spoke about how Guimaraes is “very positive” and has put a lot of work in behind the scenes as he bids to make a welcome return from injury before the end of the season.

The Newcastle boss has since confirmed that the midfielder will return to the club’s training base on Monday, as he is keen to travel with the squad to Barcelona to show his support during the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie next Wednesday.

Howe has again highlighted Guimaraes’s dedication in rehabilitation and there is hope that he can return to full fitness after the international break.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday ahead of Saturday’s Premier League trip to Chelsea, Howe said: "[Guimaraes is] back on Monday. Typical Bruno, he wants to come to Barcelona and support the team.

"We hope he won't be too far away once he's back with us. We'll have to assess him. I know he's been working incredibly hard on his rehab with the Brazilian national team physios and doctors, so I think he'll be in a good place.

"He's such a big player, so I'd love to think, by the time the international break has ended, he'll be back fit and available."

Guimaraes is one of four Newcastle players who remains in the treatment room along with Fabian Schar (ankle), Emil Krafth (knee) and Lewis Miley (thigh).

Newcastle’s Howe gives latest injury update on Miley

Providing a fresh update on Miley, who has been out since the end of January, Howe said: "We were hoping he'd be fit for that game [Barcelona second leg] and I don't actually know if that has deviated at all.

"He's not training with the group currently. He's on the grass running again and working incredibly hard.

"All the feedback I've had from the medical team is we have to be careful with this injury and we don't want it to turn into something a lot more serious. It's gone on longer than anyone had hoped, but the main thing is he comes back."

Offering a general update on the fitness of his squad, Howe said: "We've got a healthy squad at the moment, healthier than it has been with Tino (Livramento) coming back.

“Every player that we get back is such a big lift to the group's strength and the quality. Hopefully there's a few more on the horizon that will make a big difference to us, and then we'll see the real strength of the squad as the season draws to an end."

Gordon fit to face Chelsea as Howe clarifies Barcelona benching

Meanwhile, Howe has clarified his decision to bench Anthony Gordon for Newcastle’s 1-1 first-leg draw with Barcelona in the Champions League, explaining that the forward was dealing with illness prior to kickoff.

Newcastle legend Alan Shearer questioned why Gordon was not able to start, but was fit to feature as a substitute in such a big European match for the club, saying on Amazon Prime: "It would take something extraordinary to keep myself out of this game."

In response, Howe said: "[Gordon] trained yesterday, so feels better (ahead of Chelsea game). I do have to clear something up with Anthony Gordon. He was absolutely willing to play in the game against Barcelona.

"I know there's a lot of comments. It was my decision not to start him, based on the fact he'd been ill that morning and hadn't attended the training session.

"He was prepared to play but, in consultation with the medical team, we didn't think he was fit to play."

Newcastle currently sit 12th in the Premier League table, just one point behind Bournemouth in ninth and nine points adrift of this weekend’s opponents Chelsea in fifth spot.