Howe was disappointed to lose Anderson during the summer, as Newcastle had to reluctantly part with the lifelong fan to meet the Premier League’s PSR deadline. Anderson recently made his first start for Nuno Espírito Santo’s team in their weekend victory at Southampton, which Howe watched with a sense of regret, having previously expressed his reluctance to let the 21-year-old go.
“Watching Elliot perform so well against Southampton was bittersweet because we’ve lost an exceptional player and person,” Howe said.
Despite his personal feelings, Howe will focus on the match against his former player, aiming to make a deep run in a competition Newcastle has performed well in recently. The Magpies narrowly missed out on the final two seasons ago and fell just short of the semi-finals last season when Chelsea equalized in stoppage time and won on penalties.
Howe plans to rotate his squad for the game at the City Ground but is determined to field a competitive team. “We’ll aim to play a strong side and want to progress, but we’ll also make some changes,” he said. “The depth of our bench was evident on Sunday, and we’re committed to performing well in every competition. Last year’s near-miss was a low point, and we want to improve.”
Sandro Tonali will be available for selection, and summer signing Will Osula may make his first start. Howe praised Osula’s adaptation to the club, noting, “Will has been impressive. It’s a big step for him, but he has handled it with class. He’s trained well, stayed grounded, and is focusing on his development. We’re excited to see how his career progresses.”
