Newcastle United players arrive ahead of Champions League tie v Athletic Club
Newcastle United have been dealt a fresh injury blow in the build-up to their Champions League games v Athletic Club.
Trippier returns to the starting XI after missing the Hammers game through illness, while Barnes got the bod ahead of Murphy on the right side of the attack.
Anthony Gordon and Nick Woltemade kept their places, despite being brought off at half-time at the London Stadium.
Newcastle United striker blow just 45 minutes before kick-off v Athletic Bilbao
Osula came on for Woltemade and was named among the substitutes for the Athletic tie.
However, less than half an hour after announcing the team at 6:45pm, Newcastle revealed Osula had dropped off the bench due to an ankle injury.
Newcastle wrote on X: “Will Osula will no longer be on the bench this evening due to discomfort in his ankle. He will be assessed further in the coming days. Hope to see you back soon, Will.”
Osula has been managing his ankle injury for a while but will now be assessed.
In the meantime, it leaves Newcastle without two of their three senior strikers with £55million summer signing Yoane Wissa still recovering a knee injury.
Will Osula came close to leaving Newcastle United in the summer
Following the arrivals of strikers Woltemade and Wissa for a combined £124million, Osula was permitted to leave and a £30million transfer, including a buy-back clause, was close to being agreed with Bundesliga outfit Eintracht Frankfurt.
However, Frankfurt then attempted to change the terms of the deal to a season-long loan with an option to buy, which led to a breakdown in negotiations.
And that turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Just over a week later, Wissa sustained a knee injury on international duty with DR Congo and has been sidelined ever since.
Reflecting on a dramatic deadline day and Osula’s development since joining from Sheffield United last year, Howe said: “It was quite close for him that he could have left, in a variety of ways, whether that was a loan, which was always our preference because I think from our view, we wanted Will to play.
“We wanted him to continue his development, which he did brilliantly last year, because I think he committed to a path of limited game time, but big training time.
“A lot of work with Graeme Jones, a lot of reviewing his performances, then a lot of putting work into action. And the next step for me was for him to try and play regularly. So that was the aim, and especially with us bringing two strikers in, the thought was that he could continue that development best on the football pitch.
“Obviously, it didn't happen, and much to our relief, it didn't happen because obviously, Yoane picked up an injury. And Will's vitally important. We believe in his talents.
“He's got speed. I think you could see that when he came on the pitch the other day. I mean, he's quick, he's athletic, but also I think what he's added is, just through the continued attitude he's had to his training, a lot now of better know-how in terms of how to manage game situations.
“He's benefited from that, and he's coming on the pitch looking like the complete package.”
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