Before Newcastle United’s unbeaten Premier League run came to an end on Saturday, Matt Targett took a huge step towards a first-team comeback.
The left-back has not been involved in Eddie Howe’s side since the Boxing Day win over Leicester City. He has been out with a heel injury ever since, but now appears to be closing in on a return.
Targett was recently pictured in training, while Howe stated that he was making good progress as he edged closer towards full fitness.
Now the 27-year-old is back playing, and got 60 minutes under his belt at the weekend.
Matt Targett features in Newcastle Under-21s game
While Howe’s side were preparing to face Liverpool on Saturday night, Newcastle’s Under-21s took on the Brentford B team, who had David Beckham’s son Romeo in their side.
It was the young Magpies who came out on top, with Ben Dawson’s side winning 4-1. And his team included the returning Targett, who managed to play an hour before being replaced.
It was a productive hour too, with Targett scoring and providing an assist.
Big boost for Eddie Howe
Getting minutes under his belt is a big moment in Targett’s recovery. He has endured a frustrating season, losing his place in the side to Dan Burn before suffering an injury.
But now he is closing in on a return to full fitness, which will be a huge boot for Howe. Newcastle’s players look tired at the monent, but are having to play through the pain barrier due to a lack of squad depth.
That is why Howe will be delighted to get Targett back in his side. It gives him the option to either rest Burn or one of the centre-backs.
Newcastle have been excellent this season, but it has been a campaign to forget for Targett. Hopefully he can now enjoy a strong second half of the season, and prove he was worth the £15million fee.
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