Newcastle play down injury fears over England full-back Kieran Trippier

Newcastle have allayed any fears that England defender Kieran Trippier picked up an injury during the club’s end-of-season friendly clash with Tottenham in Australia.

Trippier, who had started the game in front of a crowd of 78,419 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, lasted just 37 minutes before he was replaced by Jacob Murphy after apparently taking a kick on his ankle.

However, the Magpies have confirmed that the 33-year-old full-back’s withdrawal was “pre-planned” as he works his way back to full match fitness ahead of Euro 2024, and he was present for a group photograph at the end of the match.

Trippier, who was named in Gareth Southgate’s 33-man training squad on Tuesday, had previously made just three appearances for his club since the beginning of March after being sidelined by a calf injury.

Southgate will have to reduce the party to 26 by June 7 and the Magpies defender, a veteran of England’s last three finals campaigns, will hope to win a seat on the plane.

Trippier looked on from the sidelines in Melbourne as the game finished 1-1 after Alexander Isak had cancelled out James Maddison’s opener with both managers having changed their entire starting XIs.

The Magpies eventually prevailed 5-4 on penalties with youngsters Joe White, Ben Parkinson, Amadou Diallo, Garang Kuol and Harrison Ashby all scoring from the spot after substitute keeper Mark Gillespie had saved Bryan Gil’s opening attempt.