Just when Newcastle appeared to have turned the corner in terms of form and results, they’ve been hit with the devastating blow that one of their stars won’t be available for selection until at least the new year.
Aside from a three game spell earlier in the season, Eddie Howe and his backroom staff have generally got things spot on so far, but the loss of key players is only going to harm their chances of trying to bring silverware back to St. James’ Park for the first time since the 1950s.
According to a tweet from Fabrizio Romano, the Magpies will have to do without new signing, Harvey Barnes.
????? Harvey Barnes has been ruled out until 2024.
“He's going to be out for around three months. No surgery required which is good news but his foot is now in a boot. It's an injury underneath his toe”, says Eddie Howe. pic.twitter.com/rIeYtagSbX
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 29, 2023
One player doesn’t make a team of course, and Barnes hasn’t really had time to make the impact expected, but nevertheless, not being able to call upon his services at all clearly puts Newcastle at a disadvantage.
Ahead of the weekend’s test against Burnley and the Champions League epic-in-waiting against Paris Saint-Germain, it’s news that Newcastle could’ve done without.
What Barnes’ injury will do, however, is bring into sharper focus just how well off Howe’s squad is in terms of strength in depth.
If they truly want to be considered as contenders for all of the major trophies either this season or those following, then having a truly world class squad as opposed to just the starting XI is a pre-requisite.