Bruce gives reasons for Newcastle injury ‘blight’ as striker out until April
Manager Steve Bruce admitted it was “devastating” for Newcastle to lose Callum Wilson after the striker was ruled out for two months with a leg injury.
Wilson, 28, limped out of Saturday’s 3-2 victory over Southampton on 36 minutes. Scans revealed a hamstring tear which will keep the former Bournemouth man sidelines for a couple of months.
Wilson has started 21 Premier League games for the Tynesiders this term. Capped four times by England, he has scored 10 goals, with Newcastle managing just 25 in total.
But they will now need to look elsewhere and Bruce could find no positives.
“Unfortunately for Callum it is a tear to the hamstring and that could be six to eight weeks as well,” he told reporters. “The aftermath of a fantastic victory has blighted us. Losing the centre froward for weeks is a bitter pill to swallow.
“We hoped it was a grade one – two to three weeks but it is worse than that. We have to be without him for 6-8 weeks, but we won’t put a timescale on it. It is devastating news for us.
And the much-travelled manager pointed the finger at the fixture list as to why his top scorer is missing.
“His performance at Everton was terrific,” he added. “We are all struggling with muscle injuries, the sheer number of games and no rest between.
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“Without Callum it will be hardcore. He has been terrific. It will be difficult to replace him.”
Bruce curses bad luck
Newcastle sit just two places above the relegation zone. But they should be safe from the drop, with a 10-point cushion to the bottom three.
A run of nine top-flight games without a win threatened to derail their campaign But victories over Everton and Saints have now steadied the ship.
Bruce will also have to deal with the absence of Fabian Schar and Javier Manquillo – both out for between 6-8 weeks. And he confessed that the season has been trying for everyone.
“Manquillo could be the same time, six weeks,” he continued. “All three lads it will be April time before we see any of them.
“Luck? It hasn’t been great We have been blighted with illness and injury.”
On Schar, he said: “He has an operation on his ligament and knee. He will try everything to get fit for the Euros. He had the op on Tuesday and it is eight weeks.”
Newcastle’s next task is a trip to west London to play Chelsea on Monday. The Blues are on an upward curve with Thomas Tuchel at the helm.
They have won three straight league games to sit fifth in the table.
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