Last night’s win at Blackburn was a rare high in an otherwise dismal season, but it’s come at a cost – with injuries to Clark and Lascelles adding to the long list of players who could miss Saturday’s crucial clash with Cardiff.
Local lads Roberts and Longstaff scored their first Newcastle goals in an extra win that may have come at a cost, with a crucial match this weekend at home to fellow stragglers Cardiff. We have NINE players now out or facing late fitness tests and several others like Schar, Hayden and Joselu picking up knocks.
Here is the state of play of who may be missing:
Dummett , Diame, Shelvey – All are rated as doubts after missing our last two games. Shelvey and Dummett particularly have had injury hit seasons and are seeing specialists in Barcelona to aid their recovery. Dummett is more likely than Shelvey to make the game apparently, which is a blow considering our lack of depth in the middle of the field.
Lascelles , Clark – Both limped off at Blackburn with muscle injuries. Rafa says neither look serious, but I can’t see either recovering in time. This would force us to play with four at the back, with Fernandez and Lejeune coming in – both of which are excellent centre halves.
Kenedy – Benitez said he had a minor injury before the Blackburn game, but him missing out entirely last night raises serious doubts as to whether he’ll be fit for Saturday. Kenedy has been very poor this season but does have that bit of quality needed to unlock a defence when on form, something we desperately need this weekend.
Ki , Muto – Both at the Asian Cup and unlikely to return until early February. Muto is yet to find his feet in the first team, but Ki is a miss after a fine run of form during the back end of 2019 for him personally.
Darlow – He seems to have been out for a while with a niggling injury, although Woodman appears to be ahead of him in the pecking order anyway. Dubravka will play of course so this isn’t much of a miss but it may scupper a potential move to Championship sides this month, which had been mooted.
With some many players missing and our dismal form in the league, how confident are you for Saturday?
Muto hasn’t settled well? He hasn’t been played!
Ash(Quote)
He’s been on 12 times and scored once. Looked very lively when he was on. He’s also played in a cup game.
Kev(Quote)
Blackburn has cost us dearly, Rafa didn’t want this or the win, but done purely for the fans, he is a saint.
Youngsters doing us proud and could be our saviour cos fat man certainly aint.
Geordie exile(Quote)