Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has confirmed that Callum Wilson will not be fit for Sunday's Premier League clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The England international was originally thought to have been in with a chance of returning from a back injury against the Blues, but Howe revealed on Friday morning that he was still suffering from tightness and would miss at least another three games.
Wilson therefore remains on the sidelines with Jamaal Lascelles (knee), Sven Botman (knee) and Kieran Trippier (thigh), while Martin Dubravka is nursing a knee injury of his own but would have never started over Nick Pope.
The latter will act as the last line of defence behind an unchanged rearguard of Dan Burn, Fabian Schar, Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento, the latter two of whom are reuniting with their former youth team this weekend.
Howe should also stick with the midfield three of Joelinton, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes, but at least one change should be afoot in attack as he bids to solve his side's recent scoring crisis.
The Magpies have drawn blanks against both Brighton & Hove Albion and Everton this month, and one alteration on the right-hand side could see Harvey Barnes demote Jacob Murphy to the bench.
Barnes boast four goals from his last five top-flight games away from home, and the ex-Leicester City winger has every right to be optimistic of starting alongside Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon here.
Newcastle United possible starting lineup:
Pope; Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall; Joelinton, Tonali, Guimaraes; Barnes, Isak, Gordon
> Click here to see how Chelsea could line up for this clash
Ben Knapton
