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Opinion

Injury concern for Fabian Schar but room for cautious optimism

1 year ago
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Switzerland have named their latest international squad but Fabian Schar wasn’t amongst the 24 players called up.

They have Euro qualifiers this month against Belarus and Israel.

The Swiss FA listed the Newcastle defender as being unavailable due to an unspecified injury, with then Swiss radio station RTN reporting that Fabian Schar ‘who has chosen to stay in Newcastle to treat recurring foot pain.’

We now wait to see if the central defender will be available for Newcastle’s visit to Nottingham Forest tonight.

Fabian Schar has been a class act this season, a formidable partnership alongside Sven Botman. I still find it incredible but not surprising, that Steve Bruce didn’t rate Fabian Schar above the likes of Ciaran Clark, Jamaal Lascelles and Federico Fernandez, Brucey even at times played midfielder Isaac Hayden as a central defender ahead of Schar!

Eddie Howe speaking ahead of Friday’s game.

A massive match where Newcastle United aim to make it consecutive Premier League wins ahead of this international break.

A win at The City Ground would see Newcastle close to only a point behind fourth placed Tottenham and NUFC would have a game in hand still.

Whilst a win over Forest would then see Newcastle United go ahead of Manchester United if also defeating them in the following match on Sunday 2 April at St James’ Park.

Eddie Howe gave a Newcastle United injury update on Thursday and on the whole, it sounded pretty positive.

The Newcastle United Head Coach admitting that the ankle injury suffered by Anthony Gordon against Man City is a little more serious than a couple of weeks absence BUT hopes to have the January signing available for Man U in 16 days time. The international break giving that bit of bonus time with no matches, to help get the former Everton star back fully fit.

Other than that, Eddie Howe told the media that the injury / availability situation is very similar to last week against Wolves. Howe saying a few players have missed training at times this week as the club are managing /nursing the knocks / injuries that some of the squad are carrying.

Presumably Fabian Schar amongst them with this reported recurring foot pain.

I think there can be cautious optimism though about Schar’s availability tonight and the rest of the season.

The photos published by Newcastle United featuring Wednesday’s training, meant we could see the following 18 first team squad players:

Miguel Almiron, Elliot Anderson, Harrison Ashby, Sven Botman, Dan Burn, Mark Gillespie, Bruno Guimaraes, Alexander Isak, Jamaal Lascelles, Jamal Lewis, Javier Manquillo, Jacob Murphy, Matt Ritchie, Allan Saint-Maximin, Fabian Schar, Matt Targett, Kieran Trippier, Joe Willock

Fabian Schar was strongly featured, so fingers crossed his absence from the Swiss squad is simply a precaution and will allow him some bonus recovery time, including on the NUFC warm weather training break after the Forest game.

Of those not seen in Wednesday’s training images…

With Mark Gillespie the only goalkeeper shown in the club’s official images, no sign of Nick Pope, Martin Dubravka or Loris Karius. I can’t imagine this is anything to be concerned about, an innocent explanation rather than all three of the other keepers injured!

Of more concern was no sign of Callum Wilson. Eddie Howe said after Sunday’s match that the number nine hadn’t been able to train properly last week, so fingers crossed he can at least make the bench again tonight.

Sean Longstaff didn’t feature in the released images either, here’s hoping he is ok. Especially with Joelinton already guaranteed to miss. The Brazilian is suspended and couldn’t be seen in the club’s training photos, so maybe given a bit of time off with family ahead of the NUFC squad travelling to Dubai.

Paul Dummett another one who couldn’t be seen, the Geordie left-back not though a first team contender as things currently stand, so less of a worry with him. Eddie Howe has Burn, Targett and Lewis as left-back options.

As previously reported, Ryan Fraser is now training with the Under 21s, which explains his absence. Whilst Emil Krafth remains out injured.

Eddie Howe had already said he didn’t expect to have Anthony Gordon back until after the international break, so no surprise he wasn’t to be seen.

A fair few Under 21s could be seen amongst the first team players in training, amongst them the likes of Lewis Miley and Rodrigo Vilca.

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