The added strain of Champions League competition seems to be having a bearing on Newcastle at this early stage in the 2023/24 season.
Eddie Howe’s side undoubtedly benefited from a continental absence last season as injuries failed to compromise the Magpies’ charge towards a top-four spot. However, with the added fixtures that competing in the Champions League brings, Newcastle’s absences are piling up.
Here are the latest injury updates on the Magpies’ current absentees and when each of them could return to action.
Botman was a cornerstone of Newcastle’s 2022/23 campaign but the Magpies have been without their star centre-back since he picked up a knee injury in the 8-0 win over Sheffield United.
Many expected Botman to have returned to action by now, but the Dutchman remains sidelined and it’s still unclear when he could come back. Howe recently admitted the club still doesn’t know the full extent of the problem.
“There’s an issue there and we’re working through various options to try to diagnose the exact problem,” the Newcastle boss said. “We’re still waiting for clarity on what is happening.”
There are fears Botman could be set for a long-term absence.
Isak limped off early on during Newcastle’s eventual Champions League defeat at home to Borussia Dortmund with a groin injury. A similar issue had troubled Isak during his debut campaign and the club are going to be cautious in regards to his recovery.
“Isak we hope will be back after the international break,” Howe said ahead of the Magpies’ Carabao Cup tie away at Manchester United on Wednesday night.
While the striker won’t be sidelined for a prolonged period, he will miss upcoming games against Arsenal, Dortmund and Bournemouth.
There’s no injury to Tonali to be concerned about but the Italian midfielder has already played his final game of the 2023/24 campaign.
Tonali recently picked up a ten-month suspension for gambling breaches which means Newcastle supporters won’t be seeing their star summer arrival in action until the start of the 2024/25 season. The midfielder will also miss Euro 2024.
Acquired from Leicester in the summer, Barnes had just started to find his feet in a Newcastle shirt before he too succumbed to injury during their emphatic beatdown of Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
While Barnes’ foot injury hasn’t required surgery, the spritely winger isn’t expected to feature for the Magpies again in 2023. He should return to action at the start of the new year.
The relentless Murphy has been one of the unsung heroes of Howe’s tenure thus far, but the English manager is set to be without his workhorse winger for quite a while after he dislocated his shoulder in the 1-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund.
Howe described the injury as “serious” and the club does not yet know when Murphy will return to the fold. He’ll certainly be out until the November international break.
Young Anderson was hoping to enjoy a breakthrough campaign after impressing in spurts last term, but the dynamic midfielder has endured a pretty significant injury setback.
Newcastle will be without Anderson until the new year after he suffered a back injury. “The day after the Palace game he just woke up with a sore back. It didn’t really go away, so we’ve had scans and tests and it looks like it’s going to be eight weeks,” Howe said ahead of last weekend’s draw at Wolves.
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