Newcastle United hope to welcome back some key players from injury in the next week or so.
Speaking to the media ahead of Thursday's Premier League away trip to Everton, Magpies' head coach Eddie Howe confirmed Nick Pope will be sidelined for around four months with a dislocated shoulder.
Pope sustained the problem in the latter stages of the 1-0 win over Manchester United on Saturday, which will require surgery after taking the advice of specialists.
“He’s had a couple of appointments visiting specialists," Howe told reporters. "I’m awaiting final news on what's going to happen but we anticipate he’ll be operated on. There's no doubt he needs an operation so he'll be out for a period of time.
"The operation hasn’t happened yet but we're thinking roughly around four months. A big blow for us but one we expected after the game. As soon as we saw the dislocation, we were fearing the worst."
While Pope and several other Newcastle players remain sidelined for the foreseeable, Howe hinted at some returning ahead of fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday and AC Milan on Wednesday.
Howe said: "We hope so. Difficult to give a definitive answer but we hope so. No one is training with the group at the moment but there are players who are very close."
1. Nick Pope - shoulder
Pope dislocated his shoulder in the Premier League win over Man Utd but is recovering ahead of schedule. Possible return date: Mid to late March 2024.
2. Sandro Tonali - banned
Tonali is suspended from football until August 2024 following an investigation into illegal betting activity. Possible return date: August 2024.
3. Joelinton - thigh
Joelinton underwent thigh surgery last month and won't return until May at the earliest. Possible return date: May 2024.
4. Matt Targett - hamstring
Targett underwent hamstring surgery early December. Could return to training in the next couple of weeks. Possible return date: Wolves (H) 02/03.