JONJO SHELVEY should be available for Newcastle United’s trip to Southampton on Sunday, despite having fractured his hand breaking up a training-ground bust-up.

Shelvey played the peace-maker as Jamaal Lascelles and Mo Diame came to blows at Newcastle’s Darsley Park training ground.

The midfielder, who is no stranger to disciplinary problems of his own, became involved after Lascelles reportedly accused Diame of being “lazy” as the pair trained together last week.

It is unclear how his hand was damaged, but with punches being thrown, he was forced to seek medical treatment.

He currently has his left hand in a cast, but it should have healed sufficiently for him to feature in Rafael Benitez’s squad for Sunday’s trip to St Mary’s.

Benitez was overseeing training at the time of the altercation, and has previously said he encourages fierce competition on the training ground in an attempt to replicate the environment of match day.

He likes his players to challenge each other, although will not have expected two of them to become involved in a physical confrontation, particularly as one of those involved, Lascelles, is Newcastle’s captain. The centre-half signed a new six-year deal with the Magpies last week.

Shelvey missed three games earlier this season as he served a ban for his dismissal against Tottenham on the opening weekend of the campaign, and initially found himself left on the substitutes’ bench when he was available again.

He returned to the starting line-up for the 1-1 draw with Liverpool that preceded the international break though, and Benitez will be keen to keep the England international in his starting line-up this weekend.

Shelvey partnered Mikel Merino at the heart of midfield against Liverpool, and the Borussia Dortmund loanee feels the pair can build a successful relationship, even though Benitez was initially reluctant to play them together.

Merino tempered some of his attacking instincts as Newcastle claimed a point eight days ago, and is happy to adapt his game if it helps bring the best from his midfield partner.

“I was comfortable with him (Shelvey), it worked well,” said Merino. “He wants to play the ball, wants to help his team-mates whenever everyone is looking for a solution, and the important thing is that we won an incredible point.

“It’s true that if you play with one team-mate or another, little things change because you have to adapt to the way your team-mate plays.

“Maybe if you play with a more defensive team-mate, you can go (forward) a little bit more – maybe if you play with Jonjo, you can adapt a little bit and stay a little more. Everyone is different, but you just have to adapt – it’s easy to play with everyone.”