Eddie Howe has explained his decision to start Bruno Guimaraes against Crystal Palace.
The Toon boss stated that Bruno assured him he was strong enough to play at Selhurst Park despite limping out of St James' Park on crutches just six days ago. Howe kept the Brazil ace in the middle alongside Sean Longstaff and Joe Willock.
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Howe said: "The scan was good and then we decided to take it day by day. He trained for the first time yesterday and said he felt 100 per cent fit to play.
"There’s always an element of risk when a player steps onto the pitch but in terms of Bruno’s situation, I definitely wouldn’t want to risk him for the future. But the medical team and Bruno were more than happy for him to play today.
"It’s a big boost, he is a key player for us and has been excellent for us this season. He brings creativity and also a defensive solidity that we’ve done very well with this season. He’s a big player and we’re pleased to have him with us."
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