Eddie Howe was taken to hospital late on 11 April.

Assistant manager Tindall stood in for the Newcastle boss' pre-match news conference earlier that day.

On 12 April, the club announced he would miss the home game against Manchester United - the first of three matches they would play during his absence.

Newcastle United

More from Eddie Howe, on his worsening health at the time of Newcastle's 3-0 win at Leicester on 7 April: "I have to apologise also to anyone that saw me around the Leicester game because I wasn't myself. If I did see anybody, I was very withdrawn, so I'd like to think I'm in a much better place now."

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Newcastle United

Eddie Howe on whether it was a scary time when he was ill: "Well it was, in the respect that I felt really bad but I didn't know how bad. I'm one of those people, probably like most men, that you sort of go through everything, you don't necessarily offer yourself to doctors and people but think 'I'll be ok in a couple of days, I'll fight through it'. I'm very much in the mindset of that.

"I'll go through anything until you can't, so I was very thankful the doctor here, Paul Catterson, acted quickly because without that quick intervention it could possibly have had a different outcome.

"I was treated really well in hospital and now thankfully, through the worst of it."

Newcastle United

Eddie Howe on the involvement he has had whilst away: “Zero. I made a conscious decision when I didn't feel well enough to focus on the football to give Jason and all the coaches the full responsibility because for me you're either all in or all out and I couldn't contribute.

"I said to Jason right at the start ‘it's over to you’ and didn't he do well. I thought he was brilliant with Graeme, Simon, Steven, all coaches and players - absolutely magnificent.

"I was able to watch all the games, the first two I wasn't really there mentally but I was really proud and so lifted by the performances."

On his return to work: “I came back in and it was normal - normal service resumed - probably minus running around. A lot more reserved physically and I think I'm gonna be that way for a while, but certainly back to normal service."

Newcastle United

Eddie Howe on his staff and players: "For those first two games [wins against Manchester United and Crystal Palace], I was watching and involved. I wasn't feeling well enough to probably enjoy the performances, but a big thank you to the players because they gave everything in those two games to get two massive wins for us.

"The staff behaved and acted absolutely brilliantly so a real tribute to them and now I'm back I hope I can add something to the group as we go into the last five games.

"I think he [assistant manager Jason Tindall] did absolutely brilliantly and I am very lucky to have him."

Image source, PA Media

Newcastle United

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe on his recovery: "The care I received from the NHS was absolutely first-class. I can't thank them enough, they were absolutely brilliant, the care and the love I felt from them.

"And, of course, the well wishes and text messages I received from everybody. I‘ve tried to get round to reply to everybody, it does take a while!

"I really do appreciate it and I’m very thankful."

Right, let's hear more from Eddie Howe.

The Newcastle manager has been giving a personal account of his recent health issues, talking about his fears after being admitted to hospital suffering from pneumonia and his gratitude to those who cared for him...

On that note, we will move from Arne Slot to Eddie Howe.

But before we leave Liverpool, for those who have missed this, a quick recap of their simple title equation.

The Reds are currently 12 points better off than second-placed Arsenal in the Premier League table. They have 15 points left to play for, while the Gunners only have four games remaining so can only match Liverpool's current tally.

That means Slot's side need just one more point from their final five games, the first of which is against Tottenham at Anfield on Sunday.

We will leave Liverpool fans with this one comforting stat:

• Tottenham are without a win at Anfield since 2011 and, on top of that, have lost 18 league games this season

Time to party? To enjoy more Liverpool content, visit our habit page here.

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Karan Vinod
BBC Sport

There have been reports that a clause in Darwin Nunez's contract means Liverpool will have to pay 5m euros (£4.27m) to his former club Benfica if the Uruguay forward starts another game for the Reds.

According to Portuguese newspaper A Bola, external, Benfica inserted multiple clauses into the contract when they agreed to sell Nunez to the Merseyside club.

Achievable clauses within the contract suggest that the 75m euros (£64m) deal had the potential to reach 100m euros (£83.3m).

Reports suggest Benfica have already received 10m euros (£8.5m) in add-ons - including 5m euros when Nunez made 10 starts in the Premier League and another when he reached 35 starts in the Premier League and Champions League.

Should Nunez start 60 games in both competitions (he is currently on 59), the reports says it would cost Liverpool another 5m euros, which would take the total Liverpool have paid to 90m euros (£76.8m).

Nunez has not started a game for Liverpool since February.

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Liverpool

A final word from Liverpool manager Arne Slot, who was asked whether a reported clause in Darwin Nunez's contract is affecting his team selection: "Do you always believe what the journalists say? Not always? Me neither. Sometimes it's true, but sometimes it's better not to believe everything that is written about players. It's completely new to me.

"I've said many times that I am working at a club where it is really nice to work at. For me, it's very important to have a great working environment and I have that with Richard [Hughes, the Liverpool sporting director].

"So the last, last, last thing that he will do is tell me if you play him, it will cost us this much. That he will never, never do. I don't know if it's true or not, because we never talk about that. He never interferes with the line-up.

"It might be true, but if a journalist says it, you have to balance."

Liverpool

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Liverpool manager Arne Slot on whether Joe Gomez could return from injury this season: "If his recovery goes well, he might be able to for maybe the last one or two games of the season. He is not training with the team yet, but he is getting closer and closer. He has been out for a long time and we've talked about how long it took Conor Bradley to come back.

"I think he will be available in the last one or two games if his recovery goes the way as planned."

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on Conor Bradley's fitness: "He is getting closer and closer to 90 minutes, but it depends on the upcoming two sessions. It's normal if you played twice for 70 minutes, the chance of you playing 90 is getting closer.

"We are taking good care of him because he has had two injuries that were similar. Let's wait and see how he does today and tomorrow and see if he is able to play and if he is, whether he will be able to play the full 90.

"It's going to be very important for him to become a better player than he is now to play many games in a row. Unfortunately for him, there is another full-back, Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is world class at this club. That is perhaps the only reason he hasn't played back-to-back games. He definitely has quality to do so and I think his next step is to play every single week and feel that pressure and at a certain moment it doesn't feel as pressure anymore.

"That is his next step, but as long as Trent is here, it's going to be a difficult step to make as well. But they are both very food full-backs."

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Newcastle United

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe on his battle with illness and returning to work: "I’m OK. I'm not 100% in my body but I’d like to think I’m very close to 100% in my mind, which is the most important thing. I’m well enough to face you guys today.

"Difficult [last few weeks]. I try to take a positive from every experience, I think that's really important, but this has been a real challenge because your health you take for granted - I certainly have.

"When you don't have the luxury of feeling normal it can be very difficult, so I have certainly been through a range of emotions. Thankfully, I feel like I’m on the road to recovery, which is the most important thing.

"I am delighted to be here.”

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Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on claims that Premier League hasn't been strong this season: "Everybody can have their opinion. In the parts of the world we live in, when you have your opinion, you can share it with everyone. That's a very positive thing to have.

"I've only been here for a year. I think it's never been as exciting for top-four, top-five finish. In all the years before, it was quite clear which clubs will get the first three or four positions. In my opinion, it's a really difficult league. Because from what I've experienced, there's never been an easy game.

"We are not the only team in this league who find it difficult to win a game by three or four goals. That was maybe easier three or four years ago.

"Either the teams are not so good anymore - the Liverpools, the Manchester Citys and the Arsenals - or we are still very good but the other teams have the funds to spend as much or, in some situations, even more."

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot asked whether he expected to win the Premier League in his first season with the club: "I've said many times, when you come in, you just look at how things are looking around you and then you work with your players to create a playing style, which we already knew we wouldn't change too much.

"But when players come back from holidays, you need to refresh them a bit on what is expected of them here. Then if you walk through the doors here or at Anfield, you know this club has to win trophies. That doesn't change when I walked through that door.

"The good thing is that most managers work here for a long time, so you have a lot of chances to win something. You are aware of that but that is not the first thing that you think about when you walk through this door."

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on what to expect when playing Tottenham: "You can always be surprised by the game plan of a manager. At the end of the season, every team has played a lot of games and it will be weird to change the way they play completely. During the season, it can happen more.

"Tottenham know how we play and we know how they play. But you can always adjust some details. But the big picture is clear for Ange Postecoglou and me on what to expect."

Newcastle United

Eddie Howe says he's not 100% in his body but 100% in his mind.

He described his bout of pneumonia as "very difficult" and admitted he had been through a range of emotions but felt like he was on the road to recovery and was "delighted to be here".

Howe also thanked the NHS staff for the care and love he felt from them, as well as supporters and well-wishers who reached out to him.

More to follow.

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Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on how he feels about guiding the club to the brink of a Premier League title: "I get these questions, then it comes to your mind, of course. But that's the last thing you think about as a manager at this point of time. The only thing I think about is hopefully all the players are available and prepare them.

"I know how hard it was to win against a team [Leicester City] that was close to relegation. It was hard to get the win over the line. I am not getting carried away at all.

"We've faced Tottenham already three times, I know how hard it is to beat them for us. That is where my main focus is on. "

Newcastle United

Arne Slot has finished his news conference now, but we will continue to bring you his quotes.

Just a heads-up that we're set to hear from Newcastle boss Eddie Howe very shortly.

Howe is back to work after a stay in hospital recovering from pneumonia.

Assistant manager Jason Tindall and fellow coach Graeme Jones took charge of the Magpies for the three games Howe was absent for.

They beat Manchester United 4-1, Crystal Palace 5-0 and were beaten 4-1 by Aston Vila.