Andy Carroll is likely to be part of the Newcastle squad for Saturday’s game according to new reports from the city this afternoon.According to Newcastle Live Carroll was seen training with the Geordie side ahead of the match against his former team-mates.
And manager Steve Bruce was relieved that any problem he is suffering is not related to his ankle where he has been plagued with injuries for years.
But he is now back in contention with his withdrawal only ever classed as a precautionary move by Steve Bruce.
He has been pictured training with his team-mates in the build-up to the clash at his old club thus handing Bruce another poser with Dwight Gayle apparently pushing for a start.
The Newcastle boss Bruce is relieved there is no problem with the ankle which has plagued Carroll for years saying: “With Andy, it’s not his ankle, thankfully.
“Everyone can pick up those type of niggles, especially when you sit on the bench for a while. He has stretched for a ball and over-stretched.”
Whether he makes it or not there is obviously a big incentive for the striker to show himself off at the London Stadium given the miseries he suffered in the treatment room over long spells.
Any crowd reaction to him would be interesting as the Hammers fans by and large conducted a love/hate relationship with a player who finally left in the summer on a free.
There’s always the inevitability that he would notch against us but the reality is that he has so far made just four appearances for the Toon first team without threatening to get himself on the score sheet.
