EDDIE HOWE expects to make changes for Newcastle United’s final game of the season at Chelsea at the weekend, with a couple of the club’s youngsters potentially in line for a senior debut.

Newcastle complete their campaign at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, and while there is a slight financial impact to finishing either third or fourth, the fact that Champions League qualification is already assured means the game is effectively a dead rubber.

With that in mind, Howe will not be risking any of his players who are carrying slight knocks, which could open the door for a couple of youngsters to get a first-team opportunity.

Lewis Miley has been an unused substitute in the Magpies’ last two matches, and there is a good chance the 17-year-old midfielder could be handed a first-team debut at some stage in Sunday’s game.

Similarly, Harrison Ashby, who was promoted to the substitutes’ bench last night after Joelinton suffered an injury in the warm-up, could also find himself making his first senior appearance for Newcastle following his January move from West Ham.

“I imagine there might be changes for the final game because there are one or two players struggling with injuries,” said Howe. “I’ll have a look at things.

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“There’s a few players that have been playing with injuries. That’s natural at this stage of the season. We haven’t got a huge squad – what you saw against Leicester is what we have fit and available in terms of the senior professionals, then there’s one or two younger players.”

Joelinton’s season is almost certainly over after he was unable to line up against Leicester, with Elliot Anderson having replaced him on the left of midfield.

“It was a difficult late change,” said Howe. “We thought Joe would be okay, we didn’t think there was any major concerns with his injury, but he felt in the warm-up that he couldn’t play and do himself justice, so unfortunately he missed out.

“Elliot picked up a knock himself in the last game when he came on (against Brighton), so he wasn’t 100 per cent himself, but I thought he did really well and can be pleased with how he performed in such a high-pressure game.”