Jaissle's fitness update on Fernandez-Pardo & Miley ahead of Everton trip

Newcastle United are sweating over the fitness of Lewis Miley and Matias Fernandez-Pardo ahead of Thursday night’s Carabao Cup clash with Everton.

Both players missed Sunday’s 2-0 win over Crystal Palace, and Matthias Jaissle has confirmed that they remain doubts as we prepare for a trip to Merseyside.

Fernandez-Pardo and Miley remain doubts 

Miley has been struggling with a hamstring issue, while Fernandez-Pardo has been unwell, leaving both players racing against time to be involved against Everton.

Jaissle has stopped short of ruling either player out, but says Newcastle will take a cautious approach over the next couple of days before making a final decision.

“They are still doubtful. Question marks on if they will make it [on Thursday], so we need to take it step by step.

“Still two days to decide on if they will be in the squad or not. We don’t want to take any additional risks and hopefully they will be back soon.”

Both unlikely to be risked against Everton?

With two days remaining before the cup tie, Newcastle will continue to monitor both players before deciding whether they are fit enough to feature.

However, Jaissle’s comments suggest neither will be rushed back if there is any concern over their condition, particularly with a quick turnaround between Thursday’s match and Monday’s league clash with Everton. 

The boss will be keen to have options in the squad and a strong bench, but avoiding further injuries will be a priority as we look to build on our recent victory at Crystal Palace.

Miley and Fernandez-Pardo could yet make the squad, but we get the feeling both could be saved for next week’s fixtures against Everton and Fulham.