Howe will only return to Newcastle dugout when ‘100 percent’ ready

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe will only return to lead the club when he is “100 percent” ready following a diagnosis of pneumonia, his assistant Jason Tindall said on Tuesday.

The League Cup winners, who are chasing a Champions League spot, issued a statement on Monday saying the 47-year-old, who was admitted to hospital on Friday, was recovering and would miss Premier League games against Crystal Palace and Aston Villa.

Howe, who sent his congratulations to the team after Sunday’s impressive 4-1 win over Manchester United moved them back into the top four, offered thanks for the messages of support he has received in the statement.

Tindall, speaking to reporters on the eve of Newcastle’s home match against Palace, said: “We’ve had minimal dialogue together since that announcement. He’s in the best possible hands and he’ll be back as soon as he feels he’s ready to come back 100 percent to lead the team.”

No timeframe has been established for Howe’s return and, with the Magpies sitting a point behind third-placed Nottingham Forest, Tindall could find himself at the helm for the defining period of the Premier League season.

Asked what role Howe might play, he said: “For the manager not to be here, he’s obviously poorly in hospital and the same as last week, we had minimal contact in terms of preparations.

“But we know the expectations and demands that we put on each other and ourselves each and every day, and it’s going to have to remain that way until the manager is back.”

In-form Newcastle, who have seven league games to play, will move above Forest into third place if they avoid defeat against Palace at St James’ Park on Wednesday.

The top five teams in the Premier League will all qualify for the Champions League next season.