Paul Dummett, Ciaran Clark and Matty Longstaff will not return from injury against Manchester United on Saturday, after Magpies manager Steve Bruce said all three will be eased back in when Newcastle's Under-23s are in action on Monday night.
Martin Dubravka also remains sidelined, along with long-term absentees Matt Ritchie and Dwight Gayle.
Bruce did, however, confirm that the Newcastle players that have been on international duty over the past fortnight all returned to the club unscathed.
“They’re all OK," Bruce said at his pre-match press conference. "The doctor’s been in touch straight after the game. Everybody has returned OK. We all knew Jamal Lewis was returning earlier – that was already pre-agreed – and he’s fine as well, so we’re all good on that front.”
Fellow summer signing Ryan Fraser could be in line for his first league start of the new campaign and Bruce was delighted to see him score the winner for Scotland against Czech Republic on Wednesday.
He added: “The one thing that we did need with Ryan, when I had a conversation with Scotland, was just to be careful with him because he hasn’t played since last March and not done a lot of training either.
“It’s OK just running on a treadmill and running in straight lines but actually physically working and playing football (is different), so it’s done him the world of good – and of course for him to get the winner and play well the way he has done is great news for us and for him."
