As Newcastle gears up for an exciting showdown against Manchester City this Saturday at St James’ Park, they’re facing a unique hurdle.
Matt Targett has been officially ruled out of the match, and the reason is quite unusual.
The game kicks off at 12:30 PM, and if Newcastle manages to win by four or more goals, they could leapfrog the champions in the standings.
After a strong start to the season, where they currently sit sixth with 10 points after six matches, Eddie Howe’s squad is looking to bounce back from their first defeat of the season against Fulham.
Targett’s Ongoing Battle with Eczema
Unfortunately, Targett won’t be making his return this weekend.
According to Howe’s remarks at the pre-match conference on Friday, Targett has been dealing with a flare-up of eczema that has hindered his recovery.
“Matt had a flare-up of eczema, so he’s been nursing that the last couple of weeks,” Howe explained.
“It’s been quite a bad episode for him. We’re hoping to get him back to training, but he won’t play this weekend.”
Targett, who is 29, originally joined Newcastle on loan from Aston Villa during the 2021-22 season before signing a permanent deal for £15 million that summer.
Despite his promising start, injuries have plagued his time in the North-East, missing 35 games last season due to long-term hamstring and Achilles issues.
Isak’s Injury Woes
Adding to Newcastle’s concerns is the status of Alexander Isak, who is now a significant doubt for the Manchester City match due to a broken toe.
Reports from Mail Sport indicated that Isak has been struggling with this fresh injury.
Although he played the entire game against Fulham, he experienced discomfort afterwards.
“He’s had scans and lots of tests,” Howe said, providing an update on Isak’s condition.
“The injury has been diagnosed fine—it sounds worse than it is, but he’s got a broken toe.
It’s one that can be managed and played with, provided he can tolerate the pain levels, and that will have no long-term risks.
He had an injection to numb the pain, and that was fine until the injection wore off during the game against Fulham.”
Isak trained prior to the Fulham match, but as the game progressed, he began to feel discomfort in his toe.
“After the game, it stiffened up and wasn’t in a great place early in the week.
He hasn’t trained yet, so we’ll have to make a decision again as to whether he trains today or misses the game,” Howe explained.
Next Steps for Newcastle
With Callum Wilson also sidelined, if Isak is unable to play, Anthony Gordon will step in as a substitute.
As Newcastle navigates these challenges, fans will be watching closely to see how the team adapts against one of their toughest opponents.
The anticipation builds as they look to make a statement at home this weekend.
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