'Wasn't 100%' - Newcastle United fear season-ending injury as key player visits specialist
Newcastle United midfielder Joelinton has gone to see a specialist after missing the 3-0 win over Ipswich Town.
Newcastle United fear Joelinton’s 2024-25 season could be over.
The Magpies beat Ipswich Town 3-0 at St James’ Park on Saturday to move up to third in the Premier League table, however they were without Joelinton due to an ongoing knee injury. Joe Willock came into the starting XI.
The Brazilian missed the whole of February after first sustaining the issue in the 2-1 defeat to Fulham. That ruled him out of five matches before returning for the FA Cup fifth round exit to Brighton & Hove Albion.
Joelinton went on to play 10 consecutive matches for club and country but having managed the issue couldn’t do so against Ipswich. The 28-year-old trained in the build-up to the game but “felt his knee wasn’t 100% right”.
He has been sent to see a specialist, casting doubt over his involvement in the final four games of the campaign.
Providing an update after the Ipswich win, Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said: “Yeah, he's going to see a specialist, actually. I'm sure he'll be scanned there as well. But he trained yesterday but just felt his knee wasn't 100% right. And that's the knee that he had an injury with earlier in the season.
“He's done brilliantly to play through the number of games that he has without being 100% fit. But he got to the point where he felt he needed a slight intervention. So let's keep our fingers crossed it's not serious. “
Newcastle United replacements for Joelinton
Willock got the nod in midfield alongside Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali, ahead of the likes of Lewis Miley and Sean Longstaff.
“Yeah, always a tough decision,” Howe admitted. “Joelinton has played on the left and for us, Joe Willock is a natural player that wants to play on the left, although he's right-footed, very similar to Joelinton.
“It's to sort of keep the rhythm of the team rather than bring someone who maybe prefers to play on the right, like Lewis so that was behind my thinking.
“Joe Willock is an outstanding player in his own right, he's done some really good things for us this season. I think he'll benefit from the game today. He's got a big part to play in our last four games.”
Willock was brought off in the 67th minute in place of Miley and cut a frustrated figure. Asked if that was the case, Howe said: “I think every player will want to play for the whole game, I understand that, as long as it's not evident to the player coming on that they're overly disappointed.
“I think Joe understands that. We're building his fitness back up still. He hasn't had a lot of 90 minutes, but that will be important minutes for him today.”