EDDIE HOWE is confident Elliot Anderson is capable of stepping into the midfield breach if he is called upon in Newcastle United’s final home game of the season against Leicester City this evening.

The Magpies head into tonight’s meeting with the relegation-threatened Foxes knowing a point will guarantee a place in the Champions League. Should Newcastle slip up at St James’ Park, they will still finish in the top four if they avoid defeat in their final game of the campaign at Chelsea on Sunday.

Thursday’s 4-1 win over Brighton took Howe’s side to the brink of a Champions League place, but the victory came at a cost with Joe Willock sustaining a hamstring injury that will keep him out of the final two matches.

With Sean Longstaff also a major doubt for tonight’s game because of the foot problem he suffered in this month’s 4-1 win at Everton, Howe is running out of central-midfield options.

Anderson came off the bench to replace Willock in the second half of Thursday’s win, and is set to start alongside Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton this evening, and while the 20-year-old has only made one league start in the whole of campaign, Howe is confident he is ready to step up if required.

“He’s (Anderson) trained consistently throughout the season,” said the Magpies boss. “It’s very difficult for those lads that haven't played regularly when the team wins consistently and has performed as well as it has to wait for their chance.

“He's a young player that has been desperate to play, he's controlled his emotions really well, I do believe he's added elements to his game and improved certain parts of his game that needed to improve.

“I'd say he's ready. He's versatile – he proved that against Brighton, he came on, on the right side of midfield. He's predominantly been used by me as a left-side player and he's very much capable, so we believe in him.”

Anthony Gordon would be an alternative option in a central-midfield role, even though the January signing from Everton has been fielded as a winger during his Newcastle career so far.

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Gordon played in a more infield role on occasion during his time at Goodison Park, with Howe claiming the 22-year-old is a more versatile player than is perhaps presumed.

“I’d say Anthony's versatile,” he said. “I don't think he's necessarily just an out-and-out winger. I think that’s his best position currently, but he's played as a number nine for Everton, he's played as a number ten for us at Bournemouth and played as a number eight, coming off the bench against Liverpool.

“I think there was another game as well where we put him as a number eight in an emergency and he's done well in each position. So, it's great to have players of versatility within the squad.

“Joelinton would highlight that, he's played everywhere across midfield this season for us, and players like that are so valuable. So, Anthony, I think fits that mould, although he would play the position slightly different.”

Lewis Miley was an unused substitute on Thursday, with Newcastle having pulled the Stanley-born teenager out of the England Under-17s squad in order to allow him to link up with the first-team squad for the final weeks of the season.

“It was a really tough decision,” said Howe. “Part of me definitely wanted Lewis to go away and represent his country because that would have been a great experience or him, but then you have to take the viewpoints that I felt his club needed him here. We have a very small squad currently, with a lot of injuries building up, so he’s got an important part to play.”

Newcastle (probable, 4-3-3): Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Anderson, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Almiron, Wilson, Isak.