Following several injury blows over the past week, Newcastle are set to be boosted by the return of midfielder, Issac Hayden, for the visit of Wigan a week on Saturday.
An ankle injury has seen the 22 year-old face a spell on the sidelines, not featuring since the home victory against Derby on February 4th, however, after making a return to full training this week & NUFC hope to see him fit in time to face Wigan at St. James’ Park.
Signed from Arsenal for £2m last summer, Hayden has proved to be a shrewd buy, with The Chronicle reporting last month that Benitez is said to be delighted with his willingness to take information on board and execute it on the field. His return will be a timely boost for the Spaniard.
Hayden has been missed, with Rafa’s men winning just 4 of the 9 games played without the combative midfielder.
The former Arsenal man has far more to offer than the limited, liability that is Jack Colback, in my honest opinion. Hayden is strong in the tackle, physically superior and has the ability to carry the ball through midfield, unlike Colback, who has been criticised for his limitations in possession.
It’s also fair to say that Jonjo Shelvey’s form has suffered in Hayden’s absence, with his injury coming just as the pair were beginning to build a formidable partnership in the heart of the Newcastle United side.
Admittedly, Hayden’s form dipped in the weeks prior to his injury. His first-touch, which had often been so good, began to let him down and the midfielder looked worn out. This is to be expected, given he’s played more games for Newcastle this season than he has across his entire career combined, but, he was going down with knocks just about every week. In light of this, i’m hoping that his time on the sidelines to rest and re-cooperate will have done him the world of good.
After recent injuries to Yedlin, Clark, Hanley, Elliot and Murphy, it is nice to finally hear some positive news on the injury front and I, for one, will be glad to have Hayden back in the side.
