ISLAM SLIMANI will feature in the Newcastle United squad for tomorrow’s Premier League home game with Huddersfield Town – but his fellow striker, Joselu, is unavailable after suffering an ankle injury.

Slimani played for the final 27 minutes of Algeria’s friendly with Iran on Tuesday, despite having been unable to feature in Newcastle’s friendly in Spain at the start of the international break.

The Leicester City loanee has been sidelined with an ankle injury since moving to St James’ Park on a season-long loan at the end of the January transfer window, but Benitez was happy to see him featuring on the international stage earlier this week.

And with Dwight Gayle expected to start tomorrow’s game against Huddersfield, Slimani is set to find himself on the substitutes’ bench instead of Joselu.

Joselu has suffered an ankle injury that will keep him out of tomorrow’s game, although he should be available for next week’s trip to Leicester, when Slimani will be unavailable because of the terms of his loan deal.

Benitez said: “We had a plan. The medical staff were talking about it, the plan was that he (Slimani) had to progress. We tested him in Spain and he was not ready, but he was following the plan and in the end the idea that he could play some minutes in the second game (for Algeria) was good for everyone. He will be in the squad.

“(Matt) Ritchie had a little problem. We were doing a test and he was fine. He has been training. The only one with a problem is Joselu. He twisted his ankle the other day, I think he will be out for one week. He is already working.”

Newcastle go into tomorrow’s game on the 32-point mark, a point clear of Huddersfield, who accompanied them into the Premier League last summer.

A win tomorrow would take the Magpies to the brink of safety, and while Benitez insists it is far too early to start talking about survival being guaranteed, he admits a third successive home victory would provide everyone with a massive boost.

He said: “When you are getting closer to the end, these games are even more important. For us it’s a massive game, but also for them. Depending on this game, it could be a little bit easier, although we will still have to keep going to the end.

“We cannot end the season here. I don’t agree that if we win we are safe. If we win, it will be a big step forward but I still say that 40 points is the future. Maybe less, but we have to play for that.”