Newcastles Callum Wilson faces four to six weeks out with hamstring injury

June 24, 2024

Newcastle United and England striker Callum Wilson faces between four to six weeks out with a hamstring injury.

Wilson was taken off at half-time in Newcastle’s 2-0 Champions League defeat at Borussia Dortmund earlier this month. Head coach Eddie Howe said at the time that the 31-year-old “was feeling a tightness in his hamstring”, forcing him to be replaced.

He then missed his side’s 2-0 loss to Bournemouth in the Premier League last Saturday. Howe said after the game Wilson was expected to be out for “a number of weeks”.

Scans have since revealed the extent of the problem and Wilson now looks set to be unavailable until the end of December.

Wilson had been called up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad for their November European Championship qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia but was forced to withdraw due to the injury.

The forward said in a social media post: “Unfortunately, a recent setback has meant I had to withdraw from the squad that I’d worked so hard to be a part of. Strong walls shake but never collapse, so for sure I’ll be back soon. Good luck to the lads in the upcoming fixtures.”

News of his latest setback adds to Newcastle’s growing injury list, with Jacob Murphy, Dan Burn, Elliot Anderson, Sven Botman, Harvey Barnes, Javier Manquillo and Matt Targett are all currently sidelined. Striker Alexander Isak is expected to return after the international break, while Sandro Tonali is suspended.

Newcastle are seventh in the Premier League and host Chelsea on November 25.

How much of a blow is this to Newcastle?

It’s huge.

Alexander Isak is edging closer to a return and may be fit to face Chelsea after the international break but, even so, Wilson is Newcastle’s only other out-and-out striker. Isak cannot be expected to play three times a week and Newcastle’s relentless schedule will not ease before Christmas.

What is frustrating is that, when Wilson plays, he scores. The 31-year-old has seven goals in just five Premier League starts and averages a goal every 69 minutes, the best ratio in the top flight this season.

However, soft-tissue injuries continue to restrict his game-time and, without him, Anthony Gordon, who has been so effective on the left wing, is likely to be required to continue as a makeshift centre-forward on occasion.

GO DEEPER

Newcastle's Wilson and Isak make each other better - even if one is on the bench

(Photo: Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

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