The added pressure of Champions League competitors appears to be having a bearing on Newcastle at this early stage within the 2023/24 season.
Eddie Howe’s facet undoubtedly benefited from a continental absence final season as accidents did not compromise the Magpies’ cost in direction of a top-four spot. Nonetheless, with the added fixtures that competing within the Champions League brings, Newcastle’s absences are piling up.
Listed below are the most recent harm updates on the Magpies’ present absentees and when every of them might return to motion.
Botman was a cornerstone of Newcastle’s 2022/23 marketing campaign however the Magpies have been with out their star centre-back since he picked up a knee harm within the 8-0 win over Sheffield United.
Many anticipated Botman to have returned to motion by now, however the Dutchman stays sidelined and it is nonetheless unclear when he might come again. Howe lately admitted the membership nonetheless does not know the complete extent of the issue.
“There’s a difficulty there and we’re working via numerous choices to attempt to diagnose the precise drawback,” the Newcastle boss mentioned. “We’re nonetheless ready for readability on what is occurring.”
There are fears Botman might be set for a long-term absence.
Isak limped off early on throughout Newcastle’s eventual Champions League defeat at house to Borussia Dortmund with a groin harm. An identical situation had troubled Isak throughout his debut marketing campaign and the membership are going to be cautious with reference to his restoration.
“Isak we hope might be again after the worldwide break,” Howe mentioned forward of the Magpies’ Carabao Cup tie away at Manchester United on Wednesday night time.
Whereas the striker will not be sidelined for a chronic interval, he’ll miss upcoming video games in opposition to Arsenal, Dortmund and Bournemouth.
There is not any harm to Tonali to be involved about however the Italian midfielder has already performed his ultimate sport of the 2023/24 marketing campaign.
Tonali lately picked up a ten-month suspension for gambling breaches which implies Newcastle supporters will not be seeing their star summer time arrival in motion till the beginning of the 2024/25 season. The midfielder may even miss Euro 2024.
Acquired from Leicester in the summertime, Barnes had simply began to seek out his ft in a Newcastle shirt earlier than he too succumbed to harm throughout their emphatic beatdown of Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
Whereas Barnes’ foot harm hasn’t required surgical procedure, the spritely winger is not anticipated to characteristic for the Magpies once more in 2023. He ought to return to motion in the beginning of the brand new 12 months.
The relentless Murphy has been one of many unsung heroes of Howe’s tenure to date, however the English supervisor is about to be with out his workhorse winger for fairly some time after he dislocated his shoulder within the 1-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund.
Howe described the harm as “critical” and the membership doesn’t but know when Murphy will return to the fold. He’ll definitely be out till the November worldwide break.
Younger Anderson hoped to take pleasure in a breakthrough marketing campaign after impressing in spurts final time period, however the dynamic midfielder has endured a reasonably vital harm setback.
Newcastle might be with out Anderson till the brand new 12 months after he suffered a again harm. “The day after the Palace sport he simply wakened with a sore again. It did not actually go away, so we have had scans and assessments and it appears like it may be eight weeks,” Howe mentioned forward of final weekend’s draw at Wolves.
