Ryan Taylor is expected to return to the Newcatle United first-team squad tomorrow for the first time in 26 months.

The winger has spent more than two years battling back from a knee injury he first suffered in a Europa League tie against Atromitos in August 2012, before breaking down again in April last year.

The 30-year-old played the full 90 minutes in a development squad game earlier this week and will be named among the substitutes for the trip to face Tottenham Hotspur in the league tomorrow.

"Ryan Taylor should return this week and that's an inspirational story to everybody in football, because this is a guy who has had terrible, terrible bad luck," said Alan Mardew, the Newcatle manager.