Eddie Howe insists Newcastle will not ‘feel sorry for ourselves’ after triple blow ahead of Carabao Cup final clash with Liverpool as one key star returns

Eddie Howe says he will use Newcastle’s triple whammy of cup-final casualties to bring his squad closer together as they fight for silverware and a Champions League return.

The Magpies lost three players in as many days last week after Anthony Gordon’s red card during the FA Cup defeat by Brighton was followed by the news that both Lewis Hall (ankle) and Sven Botman (knee) needed surgery.

Gordon will be missing for three games, Botman is facing eight weeks on the sidelines and Hall’s season is over. It means the trio are out of Monday evening’s trip to West Ham in the Premier League and next Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Liverpool.

But Howe said: ‘A positive has to come from it for us to have any chance of being successful in the next few weeks. There is no question of us feeling sorry for ourselves.

‘We believe in ourselves and we believe in the group. We believe in how we play and how we work. I believe in the characters of the players. I believe we’ve got a really special team and a special group of people. But we need to come together.

‘After the Brighton game, that was a really difficult feeling for 48 hours. But there is always a new day and a new way of looking at the same situation. For me, I look at it as, can I find answers to the problems? Then, can we fight back even stronger?’

Anthony Gordon is one of three players set to miss out on Sunday’s Carabao Cup final

Eddie Howe has received one boost though in that Joelinton is set to play against West Ham

The good news for Howe is that Joelinton is ready to play at West Ham in what will be his first league appearance in over a month. That gives the head coach an alternative to Gordon on the left of a forward line.

‘Joe’s another one of those players that can play on the left, and has done that really well for us historically,’ said Howe.

‘I think the most pleasing thing from last Sunday (his injury comeback against Brighton) would be his performance, because I thought he looked energetic, he looked his normal self. It looked like there was no hangover from injury, and I’m not necessarily surprised by that because I’d seen the work he’d put in. He trained like an absolute beast, because he knows what’s on the horizon.

‘Of course, he’s got cup-final aspirations. A Brazilian, with international experience, huge motivation, so he has worked really hard. It’s a big lift to have him back.’