Howe expecting 'big challenge' from former club Burnley

The Magpies are back in Premier League action following their 1-0 Carabao Cup victory over league and European champions Manchester City on Wednesday night, with Vincent Kompany's Clarets the opposition as United look to extend their unbeaten run to five games.

Howe spent 21 months in charge at Turf Moor over a decade ago inbetween his two successful stints as manager of Bournemouth.

And at his pre-match media briefing, he spoke highly of the job Kompany has done with Burnley, who won the Championship title last term, and also provided an injury update on a number of his players ahead of the fixture.

Here are some of the topics up for discussion at the Magpies' Benton training centre on Friday morning:

On Burnley and their change in style and progression since Kompany's appointment in 2022...

"They're very different, and there's no right or wrong of course, you can do it in loads of different ways. I think they will always stick, from what I see, to their current model of play.

"I've got say they were hugely impressive last year - the goals that they scored, the games they won and the style they did it in was great to watch. We played Burnley last pre-season and we had two really good games with two different 11s. I got to speak to Vincent after the game, and his staff. What they did following that game was a credit to them.

"It's great to see Burnley doing well, it's great to see them back in the Premier League. It will be a very different to previous Burnley teams, who were very effective in a different way, but they're going to want the ball and we're going to want the ball, so it's going to be a really big challenge for us and one we can hopefully rise to."

On Harvey Barnes' injury, which forced him off early on in last weekend's 8-0 win at Sheffield United...

"We think he's going to be out for around three months. There's no surgery required, which is good news. His foot is now in a boot and it's an injury underneath his toe, and he's now started his recovery... He's got to rest the toe, give it every chance to recover, then we'll have to build him up slowly.

"It's come at a shocking time for Harvey, because he was just beginning to find his rhythm. I think in pre-season he was getting to know his teammates and what was expected of him. With so many games coming up, to lose any player right now is a huge blow for us. We need strength in depth and everything that Harvey was going to bring us hopefully was goals, attacking play in that final third, making that difference. We have to deal with it, accept it, and wish him a speedy recovery."

On the demands placed on his squad by having more fixtures this term due to United's participation in the Champions League...

"It's totally different to last year, where we were able to go week-to-week and train intensely and really prepare thoroughly for each game. Now, we're still trying to prepare thoroughly, but in a much more condensed time, which is a challenge. The challenge for the players is to recover physically and mentally for each game."

On the fitness of Callum Wilson, Sven Botman and Wednesday's matchwinner Alexander Isak ahead of the visit of the Clarets...

"Callum, we're going to see today.(He has) very minor hamstring tighness, so we'll give him every chance to be available for the game.

"Same with Sven - we're going to make a late check on him. Harvey's obviously out, and the other long-termers continue to be out. Joe Willock's out, Emil Krafth is out but he plays tonight for the under-21s, so it's really good to see Emil hopefully come back and do well today. Dan Burn's had some illness this week but he's OK.

"(Isak)'s another one we'll make a late check on. That's the cost of the three games we had last week - it's usually the third game where these things build up, and that's where we are."

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Eddie Howe's pre-Burnley media briefing in full