The Magpies face fellow Premier League strugglers Huddersfield on Saturday and fortunately for Newcastle, The Terriers will now be without their star man Aaron Mooy.
According to The Australian’s Ray Gatt, Mooy damaged his medial knee ligament during a 1-0 loss to Arsenal last weekend.
The Australian midfielder is now set to miss the next four to six weeks, which is a huge blow for Huddersfield.
The Terriers currently sit in the relegation zone, but only three points separate them from Newcastle in 15th.
Saturday’s game is now a crucial opportunity for the Toon to extend the gap from the bottom of the table.
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Not only is Mooy’s injury a major boost for the upcoming game, but it could also benefit Newcastle in the run up to Christmas.
Mooy for Huddersfield
Huddersfield are undoubtedly reliant on Mooy and are likely to struggle without him.
The Terriers had an almost identical start to Newcastle in the league this season, failing to win any of their opening ten matches.
But then, just like The Magpies, they miraculously put together an undefeated streak of three games.
Mooy was a huge part of that, particularly in his virtuoso display against Wolves in October. The Australian won the match on his own, scoring two goals in a 2-0 win away from home.
He also proved the difference in Newcastle’s away clash with Huddersfield last season, scoring the only goal of the game.
But it’s his work rate for Huddersfield that is most impressive. Last season he was the fifth-best tackler in the entire league, only making 11 less than N’golo Kante.
He and Phillip Billing both act as engines for The Terriers, consistently winning back the ball, making it tough to break the side down.
Despite conceding nine goals in their first two games, Huddersfield have now only conceded 18 in their last 14 matches.
That’s actually two less than Newcastle who have conceded 20 in their last 14.
It remains to be seen how much Mooy’s absence will affect their defence, but hopefully Newcastle can take full advantage.
Further benefits for Newcastle?
The Terriers will now also be without Mooy for some crucial relegation six-pointers throughout December. They will play both Fulham and Southampton this month, either side of a difficult away game to Manchester United.
With their side now significantly weakened, avoiding the relegation zone may become a slightly easier task for Newcastle.
The Toon will also face Fulham this month, and victory against them and Huddersfield will see them extend their points gap significantly.
However because the bottom three are playing each other, Newcastle are unlikely to benefit too much.
Should Huddersfield lose their bottom of the table clashes, it will merely even things up in the relegation zone.
It would also mean the Toon would suddenly have three teams breathing down their neck as opposed to just one.
Beating Huddersfield and Fulham is now vital to avoid slipping into the relegation zone before Christmas.
