Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce says Miguel Almirón and Jonjo Shelvey “have a chance” of returning in Saturday’s clash with Crystal Palace after the pair missed last weekend’s defeat at Burnley through injury.
The Magpies were beaten 1-0 at Turf Moor last Saturday, missing the chance to consolidate a place in the top half of the Premier League table.
They had to cope without two of their key men in Almirón and Shelvey, as well as a handful of other first-teamers, but head coach Bruce is hoping the duo will be back to boost his side ahead of the visit of Palace to St. James’ Park (3pm kick-off).
“Almirón and Shelvey have a chance,” he said. “It’s still too early for (Allan) Saint-Maximin and Ki (Sung-yueng), and Ciaran Clark is still struggling. Matt Ritchie and (Jamaal) Lascelles are not there either, but from what we had last week, Almirón and Jonjo have got a chance.
“They both trained yesterday, so speaking at the moment – we haven’t seen them just yet – they both seemed OK yesterday.”
Bruce added: “I wouldn’t take a risk if I didn’t think they were right. I think the risk would have been last week, so it’s let them recover.
“With a muscle (injury), you’re always on edge, but we think they’ve done enough in the gym and enough rehabilitation work this week to make sure that they are OK. The big risk would have been playing them last weekend.
“We weren’t quite the same, but we’ve got to find a way. It’s as simple as that. Crystal Palace have got the same thing, watching them on Monday night – they have six or seven out as well. We’ve got to try and find a way to win.”
Roy Hodgson’s Palace snatched a 1-1 draw at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Monday night, with the point – which came courtesy of Wilfried Zaha’s equaliser – taking them up to ninth in the table, just a single point above United in 11th.
Bruce knows the threat posed by Zaha and the Eagles, but wants his side to ask their own questions of Palace.
And with a key forward of his own in Almirón coming back into contention, the Magpies boss says he’s been pleased with the Paraguayan’s performances, even though he is still searching for his first goal for the club.
“I understand that he hasn’t scored, and I think even after speaking to a lot of people, he lit up last year in January when he arrived. He gave the impetus to the team and really, nothing has changed in that respect as far as I’m concerned. He’s a smashing player, who we all enjoy playing in the team.
“Look, we’d love him to score a few more goals – of course we would. But he works every day as if it’s his last, he comes in, he’s a wonderful professional, a great lad, a good player, so I’ve got no problems with Almirón because of what he gives the team and the threat he causes. If he can add a few goals to it, great, but at the moment I’m very, very pleased with him.”