EDDIE HOWE refuses to write off Callum Wilson’s World Cup chances despite the Newcastle United striker’s chronic injury record.

Wilson is likely to miss this afternoon's game against his former club, Bournemouth, at St James’ Park, with the hamstring problem which has sidelined him since limping out of the 3-3 draw against Manchester City a month ago.

Despite scoring twice in three games, Wilson has seen Newcastle reject Ivan Toney jump ahead of him in the scramble for places to be in Gareth Southgate’s England squad heading for Qatar with a call-up for the Nations League games against Italy and Germany.

Toney was allowed to leave the Magpies by former manager Rafa Benitez in 2018 having played just twice for the first team.

Since then, he has flourished at Peterborough United and now in the Premier League with Brentford, and is the front-runner to be Harry Kane’s understudy at the World Cup alongside Roma's Tammy Abraham.

Wilson’s Three Lions prospects, on the other hand, appear slim, but his club boss insists it would be foolish to rule him out of the equation.

It was under Howe at Bournemouth that the 30-year-old carved out his reputation, and the Magpies boss knows the player well enough not to dismiss his chances out of hand.

“I never try to predict what will happen in the future and I’ll never write off Callum Wilson,” said Howe. “His mindset is incredible. I don’t think his World Cup chance is gone and I don’t think Callum believes so either.

“Of course, I feel for him because he’s not in the squad and I feel for him because he’s been injured. But you have to look to the future and for Callum, you can’t sit there and dwell and go, ‘Poor me'.

“He’s not that type and I certainly wouldn’t encourage him to be that way. He’s had an unbelievable rise from non-league to the position he’s in, so I think he savours every moment rather than look at negative situations. It will just fuel his motivation and fire him even more so that when he returns, he shows how good he is. He will want to get back as quickly as possible and score goals.”

Bruno Guimaraes, Allan Saint-Maximin and Wilson are all fitness doubts ahead of today's game.

The trio have all been sidelined through injury since last month, but have been battling to try to recover in time for the meeting with the Cherries.

It is understood that Guimaraes, who suffered a hamstring injury in the Carabao Cup win at Tranmere, is the most advanced in terms of his rehabilitation programme, and the Brazilian has a decent chance of getting the nod to start this afternoon.

Wilson and Saint-Maximin are less likely to be involved, although Howe was not giving much away when he spoke to the press yesterday morning.

“Everybody has improved, but I will leave my team news to the time we get it," he said.

“It has been a slightly difficult period, but hopefully we are coming out of that. They are big players – we need them back in the team.”

Karl Darlow will not be in the squad today, and Howe has confirmed the goalkeeper is facing a lay-off of up to two months.

Darlow’s absence forced the Magpies to enter the free-agent market, with Loris Karius’ arrival on an initial short-term deal to January having been confirmed earlier this week.

“The injury to Darlow is a strange one," said Howe. "He was just training with the goalkeepers and twisted an ankle. So, of course, with that news and the squad being open at that stage we decided it was wise to bring in somebody with more experience to complement the keepers we have.

“Loris was the outstanding candidate when we looked at the goalkeepers available to us. He is a really good age and has had some incredible experiences in his career.”

Newcastle (probable, 4-3-3): Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Targett; Willock, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Almiron, Isak, Fraser.