It has been a rollercoaster season for the Tyneside club, not least with injuries, and Gordon is a doubt following a knock to his ankle in the midweek defeat at Old Trafford.

"We will wait and see, we are not 100 per cent," admitted Howe on Friday.

"We will see how he is today. Certainly that tackle left a mark on him."

Joelinton, Nick Pope and Fabian Schar are expected to return to the starting line-up in west London after their recent lay-offs. Newcastle will also have Callum Wilson back in their squad.

"We anticipate [Wilson] will be fit," said Howe.

"Whenever he is not available you sense a gap. It is a gap in the sense of his personality and experience. But also for us to play with two strikers or to rotate. When you only have one striker it puts a bigger burden on other strikers."

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