Eddie Howe WILL be in the dugout for Newcastle’s trip to Arsenal

Eddie Howe has tested negative for Covid-19 and will return to lead Newcastle United for the first time at Arsenal on Saturday.

The 43-year-old missed last weekend’s 3-3 draw at home to Brentford after learning he had contracted the virus less than 24 hours before kick-off.

Howe – who was feeling poorly earlier this week – has been isolating in his hotel room for the past seven days but the club have confirmed he is free to travel to London for the lunchtime kick-off.

Eddie Howe will be in the dugout for Newcastle United’s trip to Arsenal this weekend

It is thought Howe’s symptoms were traced back to 10 days prior to this weekend’s game, although assistant Jason Tindall said during Friday’s pre-match press conference that the head coach had no symptoms last Friday and was surprised by the positive result. If so, that would suggest Howe is still within his 10-day isolation period.

However, the Premier League say each case is judged on its own merits and if all medical departments are satisfied it is safe after a negative PCR result, then it is possible for individuals to be released from isolation.

Tindall said: ‘When Eddie tested positive he was very surprised because he had no symptoms.

Howe missed Newcastle’s 3-3 draw with Brentford due to a positive Covid test before the game

‘Eddie was very similar to when I started to feel my symptoms. You feel very up and down. One minute you feel like you’re OK, then all of a sudden you feel sick and it knocks you for six. You just need your bed and need to sleep. He’s been a bit like that, certainly in the earlier part of the week, when he was feeling at his worst. He was resting a lot and I know it took it out of him physically.

‘But there has been a big change in how he’s feeling as the week progressed.’

Howe has been determined to recover in time and take his seat in the dugout at the Emirates, and Tindall added: ‘Sometimes I feel like telling him he needs to relax and rest, but that’s not the character of Eddie.

Jason Tindall was on the touchline against Brentford and praised the club’s ‘leader’ in Howe

‘I have been in constant dialogue with him this week, up to six times a day – before and after training and then preparing training for the following day.

‘You want your leader, your manager, there with you. We’ve missed him as a group of staff and I’m sure the players have missed him out on the grass and the sidelines.’

Tindall also confirmed that Newcastle have returned no more positive cases in the past week.