Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe has given an update on the fitness of Kieran Trippier after he was withdrawn in the first half against Tottenham.
The Magpies travelled to Melbourne to face their Premier League rivals in a post-season friendly and the England defender was named in the starting XI.
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It was good news for Three Lions fans ahead of Euro 2024 as Trippier is set to play a crucial role in the absence of Ben Chillwell and with Luke Shaw still in the early stages of being back from injury.
The former Spurs full-back was up against ex-team-mate Heung-Min Son and looked to be having a tough time one-on-one with the South Korean.
The concerns were heightened when Trippier was withdrawn after the opening half hour.
He could be seen with an ice pack on his ankle but appeared able to walk when the match finished and the players took to the pitch to thank the fans.
United in Australia. 🇦🇺🖤🤍
Thank you for your wonderful support at the MCG today! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/p7z2aS1K7o
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) May 22, 2024
Howe insisted after the game that it is nothing to worry about and that he is just managing the 33-year-old, who has not long been back from injury.
He said: “No that was all planned. We spoke Kieran and thought best thing to do was start him.
“He is still in the early stages of recovery so we didn’t want to take risks with him. Half an hour was always the aim.
“He did well and is not injured. Let’s see how he feels on Friday. We have to make sure we treat him well at the early stages.”
Trippier is not expected to stay with the squad when they face the A-League all-stars on Friday and will instead join up with the England camp ahead of Euro 2024.
