Newcastle United left to ponder after draw with Eddie Howe’s former club Bournemouth

BOURNEMOUTH: Eddie Howe has revealed Carabao Cup final fitness concerns over Joe Willock after the Newcastle United midfielder limped out of the Magpies' draw at Bournemouth.

Marcos Senesi's finish put the struggling Cherries ahead before Miguel Almiron netted a first-half equaliser.

However, it was injuries that added caused Howe more headaches than the result itself.

Former Arsenal man Willock suffered a hamstring problem to add to a growing injury list, which also saw goalscorer Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin withdrawn due to knocks.

“The concern from today is Joe Willock who has a hamstring problem. We’ll see how he is,” said Howe, whose side play Liverpool next weekend before the final at Wembley against Manchester United in a fortnight.

“Miggy and Maxi I don’t think are too bad. Miggy, I think got a stamp on his, so I think he’ll be okay, Maxi, I think, was just a knock.”

Before a ball was even kicked United were dealt a blow when Callum Wilson was ruled out of a return to his former club with a slight hamstring problem. It is not thought to be enough to keep him out for too long, though.

And the Magpies looked a little lost without their target man, even if he hasn't been on his best form of late.

The Cherries dominated the first half, with Nick Pope the busier of the two goalkeepers. Dom Solanke tested the England keeper with a flicked header which Pope managed to palm wide, while the Magpies offered little to nothing at the other end.

The home side took a deserved lead on 35 minutes when a Dango Ouattara flick on, after he left the below par Kieran Trippier, was turned in by Argentine Senesi on the line.

Watching the opening 45 minutes you'd be forgiven for thinking it was Bournemouth who were in