AMID all the talk of transfer offers, loan fees, relegation release clauses and fruitless discussions with clubs scattered right across the continent, it is easy to forget that Eddie Howe takes his Newcastle United team to Elland Road tomorrow to play a game of football. And that, all things being equal, it is quite an important one.

Billed as a relegation clash, tomorrow’s meeting between Newcastle and Leeds actually pits a team in grave danger of suffering the drop against a side that appears to be heading towards safety. Sadly, for followers of the Magpies, they are the former rather than the latter.

Last weekend’s spirited 3-2 win at West Ham United took a patched-up Leeds team to the 22-point mark, nine points clear of the relegation zone and within three points of tenth-placed Leicester City. Newcastle, on the other hand, are in 19th position with a paltry 12 points from their 20 league games.

Hampered by a crippling injury list, and suffering the same frustrations in the transfer window that Newcastle have experienced, Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa has nevertheless been able to encourage his players to get on with things. Their response at the London Stadium last weekend was the kind of spirited yet slick performance that Newcastle’s squad have been incapable of producing so far this season.

So, as they look for inspiration tomorrow afternoon, Eddie Howe’s team need only gaze across to the opposition ranks. Never mind waiting for reinforcements to arrive, it is time for the current crop of Newcastle players to stand up and show some fight.

“The demand has to be on them, not on the players that we may or may not recruit from outside,” admitted Howe. “That’s a very simple thing for me – it’s about the players that are in the building now.

“I’m just about to go training with them, and our future this season is in their hands, not in anybody else’s. And when I say their hands, of course I mean mine as well because I’m involved in that process.

“I’ve said all along in January, for me, the main focus should never go off the players we have already in the building. They’re the guys that are going to take on Leeds, and they’re the guys that are going to make the difference.”

Chris Wood joined that group just over a week ago, but failed to really sparkle as he made his debut in last weekend’s draw with Watford.

Howe was satisfied with his £25m man’s performance against the Hornets, although he accepts Wood became far too isolated as Newcastle sat back in the second half, something he is desperate to avoid tomorrow afternoon.

“I thought he (Wood) played well last week, although I also thought we isolated him after we scored,” said Howe. “That was very evident at the time, and when I watched the game back and analysed it.

“With Chris, I think we need to get bodies around him. He needs to be supplied, and I think if we do get him that supply, he’ll prove very effective.”

In the absence of the injured Patrick Bamford, Leeds’ main attacking threats will come from Brazilian Raphinha and last week’s hat-trick hero, Jack Harrison, although Bielsa’s front-foot, fluid style means Newcastle will have to be aware of the potential potency that runs throughout the opposition ranks.

Last season, the Magpies were repeatedly sliced apart on the counter-attack as Leeds ran out emphatic 5-2 victors.

“I don’t think Leeds are completely gung-ho, but I think they have a way of playing and they follow that,” said Howe. “There’s a lot to admire about Leeds’ out-of-possession work. I think that’s really intriguing – they play with a really high intensity and we have to match that.

“With the ball, they’ve got their set patterns and ways of playing, and it’s very effective. This is a totally unique game – I don’t think there’s any other game like Leeds in the Premier League and we have to be ready for what we’re going to face.”

Matt Ritchie remains a doubt for Newcastle with a knee problem, while Jamal Lewis remains short of match practice despite having returned to training. Jeff Hendrick and Dwight Gayle are both available though, and are expected to be on the bench.

"We've had a couple of players return to training," said Howe. "Dwight has returned this week and Jeff Hendrick also. Matt Ritchie has a knee problem, so we'll have to assess how he is, and we're missing the long termers - Feddy Fernandez, Callum Wilson and Isaac Hayden."

Newcastle (probable, 4-2-3-1): Dubravka; Trippier, Schar, Lascelles, Dummett; Shelvey, S Longstaff; Fraser, Joelinton, Saint-Maximin; Wood.