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10 months ago
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A nightmare season for Joe Willock.
However, maybe some light at the end of the tunnel now.
These past nine months having seen Joe Willock only make three first team starts.
Initially picking up a bad hamstring injury that forced him off in the 4-1 win over Brighton on 18 May 2023, the midfielder eventually recovered from that. Only to then pick up a bad Achilles tendon injury.
The net result have been only the three starts since that Brighton match, late October and early November seeing Joe Willock make three starts away at Man Utd (League Cup – Scoring his only goal so far this season in the 3-0 victory), Borussia Dortmund (Champions League) and Bournemouth (Premier League), plus three sub appearances.
Now however, the NUFC Head Coach feeling positive about a potential return for the midfielder in the very near future.
Eddie Howe with Joe Willock update as Newcastle United approach the final three months of this eventful injury hit season:
“Joe hasn’t trained with the group yet but he is working really hard with the sports science team.
“It is an Achilles tendon injury.
“His initial injury was a hamstring but he recovered from that fine.
“Then he picked up the Achilles injury.
“Anyone who has had these injuries knows how difficult they can be to manage.
“The medical team have been building him up gradually.
“It is a slow process to build him up to the point where the Achilles tendon can withstand the rigours of Premier League football.
“There is no certainty until he’s back, that he will be back.
“So fingers crossed.
“He is in the last stages of his rehab and he is working hard and doing well.
“Will he play in February?
“I hope so.”
Only a couple of weeks to go before we see the end of February, with this month matches against Bournemouth and Arsenal in the Premier League, then Blackburn in the FA Cup in 15 days time.
It sounds very much to me, that Eddie Howe is indicating that Joe Willock will now imminently be joining back in with full group training and then a case of whether he can deal with that, without any reaction / setback.
So if Joe Willock can come through full training, the NUFC Head coach indicating we could then see the midfielder follow that with a return to the matchday squad by that Blackburn match at the latest, all being well…
Needless to say, getting Willock back would be a massive boost, especially if Alexander Isak can also return this month, with Elliot Anderson to follow. Whilst we all hope Callum Wilson’s arm injury proves just a scare at the weekend, in the closing stages of the win over Forest.
Newcastle United confirmed matches to end of March 2024:
Saturday 17 February 2024 – Newcastle v Bournemouth (3pm)
Saturday 24 February 2024 – Arsenal v Newcastle (8pm) TNT Sports
Tuesday 27 February 2024 – Blackburn v Newcastle (7.45pm) BBC1
Saturday 2 March 2024 – Newcastle v Wolves (3pm)
Monday 11 March 2024 – Chelsea v Newcastle (8pm) Sky Sports
Saturday 16 March 2024 – Crystal Palace v Newcastle (3pm) ***If Newcastle beat Blackburn, NUFC will be playing in FA Cup sixth round this weekend instead.
Saturday 30 March 2024 – Newcastle v West Ham (12.30pm) TNT Sports

 
