PAUL DUMMETT, Ki Sung-yueng, Mo Diame and Yoshinori Muto are back in contention for a place in Newcastle United’s game at Wolves on Monday night.

The quartet have all returned to full training this week, and are pushing for a starting spot at Molineux.

Dummett will hope to dislodge Matt Ritchie from the left wing-back berth, while Ki and Diame are competing with Sean Longstaff and Isaac Hayden for a place at the heart of midfield. Muto returned from the Asian Cup at the start of the week and has had three training sessions back on Tyneside.

Jonjo Shelvey is the only notable absentee for Monday night, with Newcastle’s medical staff keen to take things slowly with the midfielder, who has returned to light training as he completes his recovery from a thigh injury.

Rafael Benitez said: “Everyone is much better. Apart from Jonjo (Shelvey) and (Rob) Elliot, the rest of the team are fine. They have been training and are fine.

“It is not just the starting XI to decide on, it is the 18 players in the squad. Everybody is fine, that is good news because competition is always positive for the team.

“It is especially important to have everyone at this time when you are playing for everything. It is good to have more bodies and competition, and in the end that can only be good for the team.

“Shelvey is close, he has been training outside but we don’t want to take any risks. He wants to push and be on the pitch, but we might have to wait a couple of weeks. We will see.”

Benitez has to decide whether to start with Miguel Almiron, with the record signing having taken part in his first full training session on Wednesday after his application for a work permit was approved.