Official Newcastle United injury update confirms double season-ending injury blow

Newcastle United have opted to rest midfield pair Joe Willock and Lewis Miley for the remainder of the campaign.

Willock has struggled with an Achilles and recently missed the 4-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at St James’ Park. The former Arsenal man could have played on but the Magpies have acted with a “longer-term view”.

“With Joe, we’ve all decided - medical and Joe - that a period where he strengthens the area of his Achilles would benefit him more,” United boss Eddie Howe said.

“He went to see a specialist and they said ‘you’ve got a couple of options here’. He could have carried on playing but I think the longer-term view was taken ‘let’s get him right for next season’. That’s what he is working towards.”

Is surgery needed? “No,” Howe replied. “I think that has been made clear to him on a couple of occasions. Surgery wouldn’t be beneficial to his situation. “The Achilles is improving well from the originally injury he had. He’s had a little bit of discomfort in there but we hope with rest and strengthening he’ll be fine.”

Willock missed the opening stages of the season before being ruled out between November and February with the same issue. It has restricted him to just 14 appearances.

“Big frustration for Joe, I think he’s desperate to play. But most importantly desperate to go into games feeling good with his body, and I think that is a challenge for any player.

“The game is hard enough, the levels are so high that if you’re not 100% fit the game usually finds a way to catch you out, and I think Joe has just been frustrated that he’s not felt his normal self.

“When he’s played, he’s been carrying that issue for a while and it’s just been nagging at the back of his head so hopefully he can get to a situation where Joe is just concentrating and feeling athletically at his best.”

Meanwhile, 17-year-old Miley has made 26 appearances in his breakthrough season but hasn’t featured since the March international break because of a back injury.

Similar to Willock, Newcastle could have pushed to have the England youth international back available before the season is over.

“The decision made on him was again to look at his long-term future and try and protect him. We won’t see Lewy again this season. He’s done brilliantly this season but I think with the back he has, rest is probably the right way for us to go.

“Even if there was a chance, and there possibly was if we pushed him to come back, but we took that away very early with his age and thinking about his long-term prospects.