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Newcastle United will assess Sven Botman’s fitness ahead of Tuesday night's Carabao Cup semi-final first leg tie against Arsenal.
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The Dutchman’s start at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday was his first appearance in almost 10 months. Botman partnered Dan Burn at centre-back in Fabian Schar’s absence and played 90 minutes before coming off in stoppage time with cramp.
Newcastle won 2-1 after goals from Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak cancelled out Dominic Solanke’s fourth minute opener.
“He feels good, naturally a little bit of fatigue at the end of the game,” said Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe. “Yes, it was a long absence but he’d trained a long time for this moment.
“From the Aston Villa game onwards he was cleared to play but we wanted to give him longer to try reach his best physical levels, so it’s not like he’s been rushed back.But straight into action and he did really well and I’m really pleased with him.
Regardless of how you train, Premier League is different to anything else and you can’t really prepare for that intensity but he handled it really well.”
With Schar still suspended for the visit to the Emirates tomorrow night, and Emil Krafth (broken collarbone) and Jamaal Lascelles (ACL) still sidelined, Botman could keep his place in the starting line-up.
Howe, however, will speak to the club’s medical team before making a decision. United also have summer signing Lloyd Kelly waiting for an opportunity.
“We have to speak to the player, speak to the medical team and the experts that will give me some of the answers to what we do with him next,” Howe added.
“Sven is a competitor and hugely driven for team and himself and wants to do really well in his career so I have no doubts what he will say, but we need to speak to other people and come to the right decision.”
Newcastle are currently without a recognised right-footed central defender. Playing two left-footed centre-backs tends to be a rarity, but Howe hasn’t ruled out breaking the mould.
Howe told NewcastleWorld: “I spent most of my career playing on the left as a right footer so I'm not averse to utilising players in that position because I think it all depends on the player and his ability and come how comfortable he is to do it.
“I think Sven has the capabilities of playing there long term because he’s actually got a strong right foot, although you don't see it a lot when he plays on the left. He's technically good with both feet.
“I think it's just a new dynamic for him and I think it will take a little bit of time before he understands the angles having not done it for a long time. But I'm not averse to anything that I think makes the team stronger.”