ALLAN SAINT-MAXIMIN and Jamal Lewis remain major doubts for Newcastle’s trip to Tottenham on Sunday.
The pair both picked up injuries in last weekend’s home defeat to Brighton, with Saint-Maximin pulling up with a hamstring issue and Lewis damaging his eye in the incident that led to the dismissal of Yves Bissouma.
They did not travel to Morecambe for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup game, and while they have not been categorically ruled out of the trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, they are rated as serious doubts.
Steve Bruce said: “They’re the two biggest doubts. Jamal has got an awful eye injury. It’s a bad cut so we’re going to see how he is. Allan has a slightly twisted ankle, so we’ll see how he is too.
“It’s a bit early yet for me to make the call, but they’re the main two along with Ciaran (Clark). He hurt his thigh the other night and I don’t think he’ll make it.”
If Saint-Maximin does not make, Ryan Fraser is an option to replace him in the starting line-up, although Bruce remains reluctant to push the former Bournemouth winger too hard given his lack of involvement in the final stages of last season.
He said: “He’s played two and a half hours in the last week, but it’s still early, and I think we’ve got to be careful with him because he hasn’t played or even trained for a long time.
“I’m a bit guarded with him because his game is all about pace and being explosive.”
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