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Cabella Returns For Goodison Trip
Written by Newcastle Utd
Remy Cabella will return to the Newcastle United squad for Sunday's fixture at Everton
By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Managing Editor
Remy Cabella will return to the Newcastle United squad for Sunday's Barclays Premier League fixture at Everton.
The French international forward has missed the last three games with a knee injury but returned to training this week, along with goalkeeper Rob Elliot, who has been sidelined by a thigh complaint since the start of December.
Full-back Massadio Haidara misses out again but head coach John Carver is more than happy to have Ryan Taylor as a replacement.
"Massadio had an injection in his knee but it hasn't settled down yet, so he won't be available this weekend," explained Carver.
"But the good news is we've got Remy Cabella back. He's had a full week of training, so he's in the squad along with Robbie Elliot, who had a thigh strain and has been out for a number of weeks.
"Rob has had a good week under his belt and is raring to go, so he will be in the squad as well.
"We'll have to mix and match (in defence). Ryan Taylor came in against Manchester United and did very well.
"His condition wasn't as good as it could be, having been out for a few weeks, but he will be in better shape and better form.
"And what he adds to us is he is a set-play taker, which is very important."
Haidara is part of a busy treatment room at the Club's Benton-based Training Centre, which also includes Steven Taylor (Achilles), Paul Dummett (knee), Cheick Tiote (knee), Siem de Jong (collapsed lung) and Rolando Aarons (thigh).
Those six sidelined first team stars means United are down to the bare bones, but Carver is refusing to be downbeat about the situation, insisting they can still be more than a match for Everton.
"I don't like sitting here and making excuses but it's like 'Emergency-Ward 10' up there," said the head coach.
"I've never seen so many players on crutches.
"Cheick Tiote came in this morning for the first time (since surgery) and all I could hear was the sound of crutches coming down the corridor.
"It's a difficult situation and we've got a tough run of games coming up, but we've just got to get on with that and deal with it as best we can.
"We were down to a small group of players against Manchester United, and I thought we stood up to them and gave them as good as we got."