00:00So here we are at Newcastle United's BGS Centre for the final time this season, speaking to Eddie Howe ahead of Sunday's final Premier League game of the season against Everton at St James' Park on Sunday.
00:14A huge afternoon in store for Newcastle United. A win will guarantee Champions League qualification next season. The second time they will qualify for the Champions League in three seasons. So a massive prize up for grabs for Newcastle United.
00:32And look, you can talk about results elsewhere. Chase and Pac, I like to see your Chelsea, your Aston Villa, your Nottingham Forest, your Chelsea. But really that doesn't matter. As long as Newcastle United win, they'll do the jobs themselves and they'll be in the Champions League next season.
00:45I think that's the only thing they can focus on. I think I was keen to emphasise that message in there. He's not focusing on results as well. He's going to focus on results as well.
00:53He wants Newcastle United to get them job done themselves and at home in front of a sellout St James' Park crowd. You'd back them to get the job done. The atmosphere should be fantastic.
01:05Classy gesture by the club to give away two free pints to every fan. I think pretending before half three. So get in the ground half an hour before kick off. That's a really classy gesture.
01:16And hopefully the atmosphere will be built in that respect as well, like it was against Chelsea a few weeks ago. It was 12 o'clock kick-off on a Sunday.
01:24But Newcastle United, well, Newcastle fans created a wonderful atmosphere at St James' Park and hopefully it'll be more of the same.
01:31The shot will be more of the same against Everton on Sunday. Team news. Alexander, Isaac, the big talking point, of course, missed the Everton game with a groin issue.
01:41Actually travelled to London with the team, head of the Arsenal game, but the night before, the team hotel felt some tightness in his groin.
01:49Some discomfort in his groin. Newcastle took no risk, sent him for a scan.
01:53Anyhow, staff, the game was unsure if Isaac would be fit this weekend.
01:59Similar response, many how today Alexander, Isaac, has trained individually.
02:04This week has felt pain-free, but hasn't joined in with training yet.
02:10Potentially joining in with the full training on Saturday and it'll be then Newcastle make a decision on Alexander, Isaac's involvement.
02:16Because as much as he's been pain-free running individually, just getting back into a team aspect and having to kick a ball,
02:26essentially it depends how it feels when he is doing that movement.
02:29So, we'll wait and see, as Eddie Howe says, on Alexander, Isaac, but promising signs that he has been pain-free this week
02:37and hopefully when he does eventually kick a ball on the training pitch, he is okay and he can't be involved against Everton.
02:42Because, of course, Newcastle would miss him if he weren't on the team sheet.
02:45It would be a massive boost to say his name on the team sheet after he missed last weekend.
02:4827 Premier League goals.
02:49So, of course, for a massive game like this, you need your top goal scorer.
02:53So, fingers crossed in that respect.
02:55And Joe Linton, Eddie Howe admitted last week it was a big possibility that he wouldn't play again until next season.
03:01But I suppose fans have been maybe wishing that Joe Linton would be back this weekend, but that won't be the case.
03:08Pitch has this week from my wife's Instagram suggested he is currently in Brazil.
03:12Eddie Howe has confirmed that Joe Linton has been for another injection.
03:15So, he won't be involved this weekend, but it's looking like he'll be back fine for pre-season.
03:22So, they'll have to do without the Brazilian again.
03:24But, as they've shown with the five-at-the-back system, which I'm a big fan of, actually,
03:28I think it gives Newcastle United a really good shape and allows them to commit bodies forward.
03:32So, I suspect we'll see that again this weekend because 4-3-3, I think that's sort of heavily relied on Kieran Trippiak being fit and playing at right-back.
03:45Kieran Trippiak could be involved.
03:47This weekend is in a similar position, Ysak, where if he can improve his fitness over the next couple of days, he will be involved.
03:52But, I do think having performed very well with the five-at-the-back system, the three centre-backs,
03:59it's definitely against Chelsea when they won two.
04:01I know last week they lost against Arsenal, but it wasn't really deserved.
04:04I thought Newcastle deserved to get something from that game.
04:05So, I do think Eddie Howe will stick with that formation, but he didn't want to confirm that,
04:10obviously, because he didn't want to give Everton any advantage.
04:12So, yeah, that's the key talking points.
04:15The injuries was the main talking point from today's press conference.
04:18Of course, a lot of questions around Champions League football.
04:20Newcastle know what they need to do. They need to win, and if they can't do that,
04:25they've got a big prize at the end of the Champions League qualification.
04:27The finances, the players you can attract with Champions League football, it's huge.
04:32So, fingers crossed they can get the job done.
04:35Maybe a couple of final appearances this weekend.
04:38I asked about Callum Wilson, his contract situation.
04:41Callum Wilson appeared on a high-performance podcast this week with Jake Humphrey.
04:47He alluded to his contract situation and said it was the most frustrating.
04:50Seizing it is career on a personal level, given the injuries and the form of he's actually coming out of the team.
04:57So, yeah, I asked Eddie Howe if it would be Callum Wilson's last game in Newcastle, sure.
05:01But I understand he didn't want to give an answer on that, maybe because he doesn't know yet.
05:06Maybe there's still conversations to be had.
05:08But Newcastle have got a massive Premier League game this weekend, and I don't think Eddie Howe wants to take the attention away from that.
05:16So, yeah, see you at St. James' Park on Sunday after the game, where hopefully I'm talking about Newcastle United being back in the Champions League.
