(Reuters) – Newcastle United winger Jacob Murphy may be sidelined for up to three months as he requires surgery for a shoulder injury, according to manager Eddie Howe.
Murphy’s injury adds to a growing list of Newcastle players who are out due to injuries, including Sven Botman, Alexander Isak, Harvey Barnes, and Elliot Anderson.
The 28-year-old winger suffered the initial injury during Newcastle’s 1-0 home loss to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League last month. Despite this, Murphy came on as a substitute during Saturday’s Premier League match against Arsenal. However, he dislocated his shoulder again after about 15 minutes of play.
Newcastle, currently in sixth place in the league, handed third-placed Arsenal their first top-flight defeat of the season with a 1-0 victory at St James’ Park. The winning goal by Anthony Gordon was the subject of a lengthy Video Assistant Referee review.
“We were aware that there was a risk of Jacob injuring his shoulder again, but he was willing to take that chance,” explained Howe. “Unfortunately, he had to come off during the game, and now he will need surgery. It’s a major setback. I don’t know the exact recovery period, but I estimate it will likely be around three months.”
Another injury concern for Howe is defender Dan Burn, who landed heavily on his back after a strong tackle and did not return for the second half. Burn, aged 31, was seen limping towards the dugout.
Howe expressed worry about Burn’s condition, stating, “He’s in a lot of pain at the moment. That looks concerning for us.”
Newcastle is set to travel to Dortmund for a Champions League match on Tuesday before facing Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday.
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard)
