Callum Wilson’s fitness for Saturday’s match against Bournemouth will be decided at the last minute by Newcastle United.
Eddie Howe is dealing with an increasing injury crisis, with Dan Burn joining the list of absentees against Arsenal last Saturday.
Wilson started Newcastle’s 2-0 Champions League loss to Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night but was replaced at halftime due to a hamstring injury.
The 31-year-old striker was named to England’s squad on Thursday, with Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate admitting that he could still pull out of the group due to the knock ahead of the final European Championship qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia.
Wilson, on the other hand, could still be in contention for the Magpies’ trip down south this weekend.
‘Callum has a tight hamstring,’ Howe said at a Friday press conference.
‘We’re running various tests on him, and we’ll see how he does this morning before making a decision on the game,’ says the coach. Aside from that, we have no new injuries from the previous night.’
Newcastle are also without Jacob Murphy, Harvey Barnes, Elliot Anderson, Matt Targett, Sven Botman, and Alexander Isak, while Bruno Guimaraes is set to serve a one-match ban this weekend after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season against Arsenal.
Sando Tonali is also a long-term absentee after serving a 10-month ban for betting violations.
Botman has missed the last nine games for his team due to a knee injury and has recently returned to the Netherlands for further treatment.
Isak has been out with a groin injury, but Howe believes he will be back after the international break.
‘Alex is doing well and improving his fitness. We’re increasing his workload, and the plan is for him to return after the international break,’ Howe explained.
‘There is no major news on Sven; he is doing well; he has been in the Netherlands receiving specialist treatment. I believe he is returning today, so I will speak with him and see how he is doing.’
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