Newcastle United handed double fitness boost as midfield duo ruled out v Fulham
Newcastle United will be without at least four players for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Fulham.
Newcastle United's preparations for Saturday's trip to Craven Cottage have suffered a setback after Joelinton was ruled out with a fresh injury.
The Brazilian midfielder is the latest player to become unavailable for Matthias Jaissle, who is already without the suspended Jacob Ramsey following his late red card during Monday night's 1-0 defeat to Everton.
With Lewis Miley also working his way back from a glute problem, Newcastle could have just four recognised central midfielders fully fit and available for Saturday’s 3pm kick-off against Fulham.
Matthias Jaissle confirms fresh Joelinton injury setback
Speaking ahead of the match, Jaissle revealed that Joelinton had sustained another injury, although the full extent of the problem remains unclear.
“He went out with an injury again and we need to make the final treatment plan now for him and see how long he's been out,” the Newcastle boss explained.
The setback leaves Newcastle with a significant selection headache as they attempt to recover from successive defeats against Everton.
Ramsey will serve a one-match suspension after receiving two yellow cards in stoppage time on Monday, while Miley has missed Newcastle's previous three fixtures.
Jaissle did, however, offer some encouragement regarding the 20-year-old's recovery.
“Lewis Miley is getting better and better, showed a good reaction now after he is back from the injury,” he said. “Progress is exactly how I expected and I wished for.”
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Sean Steur and Nico Gonzalez to start together?
Newcastle's growing injury list could provide Sean Steur with an opportunity to return to the starting XI.
Nico Gonzalez, Joe Willock, Steur and Aladji Bamba are understood to be the only fully fit central midfield options available to Jaissle heading into Saturday's fixture.
Gonzalez and Willock have featured regularly this season, but Steur has not started a competitive match since September, despite impressing on his last start and continuing to catch the eye during his substitute appearances.
Meanwhile, summer signing Bamba is still awaiting his first Newcastle start.
The absence of Joelinton and Ramsey could therefore force Jaissle to reconsider his midfield combination, potentially allowing Gonzalez and Steur to play alongside one another from the outset.
It is a partnership many Newcastle supporters have been keen to see, particularly given Steur's promising performances so far.
Matias Fernandez-Pardo fitness update
Elsewhere, Newcastle could welcome Matias Fernandez-Pardo back into contention after the Belgian forward missed three consecutive games through illness.
Jaissle confirmed the summer signing had been particularly badly affected by a virus, which kept him away from training for more than a fortnight.
“[Fernandez-Pardo] got really a heavy virus so he was out for more than two weeks and it had a big impact,” Jaissle said.
“Now he's progressing, he's training with us again and now we need to see against Fulham how he is then really in a physical state [to play].”
Miley's improving fitness also provides some encouragement, although his availability for Saturday remains uncertain.
Tino Livramento and Ewen Jaouen remain sidelined through their respective knee and hamstring injuries.
Newcastle will be hoping to return to winning ways against Fulham after suffering back-to-back defeats to Everton in the Carabao Cup and Premier League.