Yesterday saw Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe provide injury/fitness updates on the statuses of three players: Valentino Livramento (knee), Jacob Ramsey (ankle) and Yoane Wissa (knee). Howe gave the scoops after the Geordies thrashed Union SG 4-0 in the Champions League.
Ramsey and Wissa are looking at returns after the international break while Tino should conceivably return after the next international break, in November.
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Let’s start with Ramsey, who is progressing along nicely, according to Howe.
“He is on the grass, working hard, building his fitness,” Howe said on Wednesday.
“The plan, I think, was it would be the first game after the international break. If it’s any earlier than that, then of course he’s ahead of schedule.”
Moving on to Wissa, he’s on a similar timeline.
‘He’s receiving treatment, no operation needed,” said the Magpies boss.
“I think we’re looking at the other side of the international break. We hope he can be fit and available for that first game… Touch wood, it’s not a long-term injury. We get through the next few games and then he’ll be back.”
And then for the final player update:
“Tino, we think, will be out roughly around 6-8 weeks, which is probably positive from where we were after the game, thinking it might be months. We’re probably looking, not this Int’ break, but maybe the next one, he could be back. So certainly, more positive than we initially thought.”
Livramento is looking at a late November return, most likely. Other than that troika, there are no injury concerns at this time.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter