Newcastle’s Premier League survival hopes take a major hit as striker Callum Wilson is ruled out for EIGHT WEEKS with a hamstring tear
- Callum Wilson went off injured during Newcastle’s 3-2 win over Southampton
- The 28-year-old striker has been Newcastle’s main man in attack this season
- Wilson has made 23 appearances for Newcastle, scoring 10 goals for the club
- Fabian Schar and Javier Manquillo are also both facing time on the sidelines
Callum Wilson has been ruled out for up to eight weeks with a hamstring tear in a major blow to Newcastle’s survival hopes.
The striker, 28, went off in the first half of the Magpies’ 3-2 win over Southampton last weekend.
Steve Bruce had hoped Wilson’s hamstring injury was not serious but he has now received the news that his 10-goal centre forward will be missing until April.
Callum Wilson, 28, went off in the first half of the Magpies’ 3-2 win over Southampton last week
Defender Fabian Schar will also be out for at least two months after having an operation to repair the torn knee ligaments he sustained against the Saints, when he had to be stretchered off with 15 minutes to go.
While right-back Javier Manquillo – another player who went off against Southampton – has been ruled out for at least six weeks with ankle ligament damage.
Manager Bruce said: ‘Losing three players, including your centre forward for weeks is a bitter pill to swallow.
‘Unfortunately with Callum it’s a tear to his hamstring. We hoped it was a grade one and two to three weeks but unfortunately it’s worse than that. We will have to be without him for six to eight weeks.
‘It is a bad tear on his hamstring and it’s devastating news for all of us. We don’t think he will need an operation, we don’t think it’s that severe.
The news is a major blow for Newcastle, who will now be without their key man until April
‘But it will certainly take time and when you are all pace and power, like Callum is, then his rehabilitation will have to be spot on.
‘Hopefully Fabian won’t be out for the whole of the season, but he’s not going to be far off.
‘He’s had an operation on his ligament in his knee. Knowing the way Fab is, he’ll try everything he possibly can to get himself fit because of the Euros as well. He’s had the operation on Tuesday – it’s eight weeks maybe.
‘Manquillo did his ankle ligaments as well. It’s going to be at least six weeks for him too.
‘You can never put a precise time scale on these things, but we’re in the middle of February now, so with all three of them, it’s probably going to be April time before we see them.’
Bruce’s side have won two of their last three matches but remain fifth bottom in the Premier League, 10 points clear of 18th-placed Fulham, who have a game in hand.
Defender Fabian Schar will also be out for at least two months with a knee injury
Right-back Javier Manquillo is out for at least six weeks with ankle ligament damage
Ahead of the visit to Chelsea on Monday, Bruce added: ‘We have been blighted with injury and illness. You do need your big players, especially at the top end of the pitch.
‘Let’s hope we can cope with it and somebody can step up to the mark.
‘I’ve said all along, we are all struggling with it. The muscle injuries that everybody is picking up is because of the sheer weight of games and no rest in between. Unfortunately it’s catching up, not just for us but for everybody.
‘When you see someone half an hour into a game pull a hamstring, there’s only one reason really – that he is not playing 100 per cent and is fatigued.’