In an official statement released on Saturday, the club disclosed that Howe had been feeling unwell for several days and was admitted to hospital late on Friday evening for further evaluation and care.

"Medical staff kept Eddie in hospital overnight for further tests, which are ongoing," the statement read. "He is conscious and communicating with his family, and continues to receive expert medical attention."

As a result, assistant coaches Jason Tindall and Graeme Jones will assume managerial duties for Sunday's match at St. James' Park.

Howe, 47, had also been absent from Friday's pre-match press conference, during which Tindall had initially expressed optimism that the manager might recover in time to oversee the fixture. This will be the first match Howe has missed since taking charge of Newcastle in 2021, his only prior absence occurring during his debut game due to a COVID-19 diagnosis.

Newcastle currently sit seventh in the Premier League table, while Manchester United - now managed by Ruben Amorim - occupy 13th position. Following Sunday's match, the Magpies will travel to face Crystal Palace on Wednesday.

Rank	Teams	Points	Rating
1	Australia	3139	126
2	England	3839	113
3	South Africa	2325	111
4	India	2837	105
5	New Zealand	2094	95
6	Sri Lanka	2078	87
7	Pakistan	1705	78
8	West Indies	1613	73
9	Bangladesh	1487	62
10	Ireland	152	30
11	Afghanistan	104	21
12	Zimbabwe	131	12

Finished India in Australia Test Series