Newcastle United injuries: Tino Livramento is closing in on a return after 14 games out with a hamstring injury.
Tino Livramento is close to being back in contention for Newcastle United after almost two months out with a hamstring injury.
The 23-year-old suffered the injury in Newcastle’s FA Cup win over AFC Bournemouth at St James’ Park back in January and has missed an important run of matches as a result.
The Magpies have been able to progress further in the FA Cup and Champions League, but have exited the Carabao Cup and sit 13th in the Premier League table with 10 games left to play.
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NUFC hit by injuries
Speaking about Newcastle’s struggles competing on multiple fronts domestcially as well as in Europe, head coach Eddie Howe pointed to the club’s injury problems in recent months.
“When you look back, in hindsight, with obviously the extra games in the Champions League we've gone deep into the cup competitions, it's put a real stretch, not only on our resources of players available to us to select, but then the energy levels and the peak physical condition for every game that the players have gone into,” Howe explained.
“No doubt players have gone into games tired and fatigued and maybe just one or two percent off and that's all you need at this level to not deliver your best. I think we've been slightly unlucky with a few injuries that have really impacted us and then you look at five defenders out injured at the moment and that's tough for any team to absorb, especially when you're playing every three days.
“So I don't think it's impossible, but I think it's difficult and you need a bit of luck that we probably haven't had.”
Tino Livramento injury update
Newcastle are without Bruno Guimaraes, Lewis Miley, Fabian Schar and Emil Krafth against Manchester United on Wednesday night while Nick Woltemade is a major doubt due to illness.
Livramento is also a doubt for the game but is ‘getting closer’ to a return.
When asked if Livramento would be back against Manchester United, Howe said: “Yeah, I think possibly. I think he's getting closer and closer.
“ I know I've been asked a lot about him and I understand why because I do the same to the medical team. It's like a chain that goes down, we’re desperate for him to be back available, but it has to be at the right time.
“And every injury situation is not always as simple as you give a return date and the player comes back. There's always little things that can happen either way.
“I think he's slightly ahead of the schedule initially given, but yeah, he’s in the last little bits of his rehab now.”
Livramento is expected to be the next player to return from injury with midfielder Lewis Miley set to follow shortly after, targeting the second leg Champions League tie against Barcelona later this month as a potential return date.
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