NEWCASTLE: Eddie Howe has hit back at Allan Saint-Maximin critics, claiming there really is 鈥渘o-one like him鈥� when the Newcastle United forward is in full flow.

The Frenchman has been a shadow of his former self in his last two appearances off the bench since returning from injury, with late cameos against Chelsea and Everton doing little to convince he deserves a place in the Magpies鈥� starting XI.

However, former AS Monaco, Nice and Saint-Etienne man Saint-Maximin had only trained twice in four weeks, having just recovered from a long-standing calf issue and illness.

Looking at this weekend鈥檚 trip to Tottenham Hotspur, a game in which Saint-Maximin is expected to start, Howe admits he loves working with the enigmatic attacker 鈥� and has underlined just how important a player he is in black and white.

鈥淢entally, he鈥檚 very good. Trained very well in the period we鈥檝e had away,鈥� said Howe. 鈥淵eah, we haven鈥檛 seen much of him. If my memory is right, he had a calf injury and then he had a bad illness. Whenever a player has time away with that, it鈥檚 very difficult to get them back up to speed straightaway. The break has actually been very good for him, he鈥檚 trained very well and we鈥檙e excited to see him back.鈥�

Saint-Maximin, with the rest of the group, has been working hard to get back up to speed while in a warm-weather training camp in Dubai recently, the club鈥檚 second trip to the Middle East this year, following on from the trip to 萝莉视频 in January.

Howe continued: 鈥淚鈥檓 just looking for the best Maxi. When he is at his best, there鈥檚 no-one like him.

鈥淲e need him physically to be able to deliver that, and that鈥檚 where we鈥檝e been working hard with him. I鈥檝e loved working with him since I鈥檝e been here. He鈥檚 a great lad, wants to do well and achieve. We鈥檙e just trying to help him to do that.

鈥淗e鈥檚 such an important player for the team.鈥�

While Saint-Maximin gives Howe more options in the forward areas, he also has some big decisions to make in midfield.

Bruno Guimaraes was in glittering 鈥� and goalscoring 鈥� form for Brazil in the international break, while Jonjo Shelvey shook off the ill-effects of an illness which kept him out pre-Dubai.

Joelinton, Sean Longstaff and Joe Willock have all proven themselves when called upon in recent weeks, too.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a great position for me to be in,鈥� said Howe of his selection dilemma in that department. 鈥淭hat midfield area has been the key area for us, it鈥檚 been one of the strengths of the team without a doubt. I think we鈥檝e had a really good mix there of technical quality, physical attributes.鈥�

鈥淥ffensively, I think they鈥檝e been very, very good. Nice problem for me to have. I鈥檝e got to pick three out of those five if everyone鈥檚 fit, and we decide to play with a three (formation).鈥�