LEON Best has been sent back to Tyneside from international duty in an attempt to be fit for the start of Newcastle United's toughest run of fixtures so far this season.
On Saturday the Premier League’s only unbeaten sides meet at Manchester City. With Manchester United and Chelsea as the Magpies’ next two games, it is hard to argue with midfielder Dan Gosling’s assessment that it is their toughest run of matches to date.
Best, though, could miss the trip to Eastlands having been denied a return to the international fold. The striker, who has not played for the Republic of Ireland since a substitute appearance against Brazil in March 2010, was called up to Giovanni Trapattoni’s squad for the two-leg Euro 2012 play-off with Estonia.
But having missed the first leg because his wife was giving birth to their first child, Trapattoni has decided not to risk his groin and toe problems for the second, when Ireland will be defending a 4-0 lead in Dublin.
“We said thanks because we wished he (had) come with us,” said the veteran Italian manager, who criticised Best’s work-rate earlier in the season. “I said to him now you are injured and I don’t need you in this game. It is better you go back to your team to finish your therapy.”
Newcastle hope to have Shola Ameobi back from a hamstring injury on Saturday but, regardless of who lines up in attack, Gosling believes the Premier League’s third-placed team can go to Eastlands full of confidence.
“The next games are going to be tough,” he acknowledged. “Every Premier League game has its challenges but, on paper at least, these three look tougher than most. It’s going to be difficult, but we’ll go to Man City in good spirits and give it our best shot.
“We feel like we’ve got a bit of momentum as a club now. The fans have been fantastic for us this year and they were excellent again versus Everton.
“It was (Newcastle’s) biggest crowd of the season and they’ve been a massive part of what we’ve done.
“We’ve been performing really well as a team and had a little stroke of luck along the way. We just try to work hard and pick up the points as we go along.”
