Eddie Howe has appeared to rule Newcastle United captain Jamaal Lascelles out of contention to feature against Liverpool on New Year’s Day.
The 30-year-old was forced off during the Magpies’ defeat to Luton last weekend and duly missed their 1-3 loss at home to Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day.
Although the manager indicated that the £40,000-per-week defender’s injury wouldn’t be a long-term one, his post-match comments yesterday suggest that the player won’t return in time for next Monday’s trip to Anfield.
Howe said (via Newcastle World): “Of course, we’ve suffered the injuries we’ve had and those players you see aren’t available… I don’t think anyone is coming back in the next few days.”
Despite Newcastle being a Premier League rival, Jurgen Klopp will probably empathise with Howe’s plight, given the spate of injuries with which Liverpool have had to contend recently.
The Magpies have it even worse, with Lascelles one of eight players currently on the treatment table at St James’ Park, and that list includes long-term casualties such as Nick Pope, Jacob Murphy and Matt Targett (Premier Injuries).
The recent return of Sven Botman from a knee problem has eased the Geordies’ plight at centre-back and made it easier to absorb the blow of their captain’s current absence.
Nonetheless, Liverpool may well be getting Newcastle at a good time, considering the depleted nature of their squad and their ailing form of four defeats in five top-flight matches.
We never like seeing players suffering injury, and we wish Lascelles and his stricken teammates the best with their respective recoveries.
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