Newcastle’s injury woes examined as Eddie Howe looks to avoid crisis next season

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Newcastle had one of the worst injury records in the Premier League last season.

The 2023/24 season was a campaign of ups and downs for Newcastle United.

A seventh-place finish and a long-awaited return to European football, Newcastle’s season seemed like a successful one, on the surface of things.

Many fans however were left thinking what could have been, if injuries had not decimated the squad.

Long-term injuries to the likes of Sven Botman and Joelinton undoubtedly de-railed Newcastle’s season, as the Magpies struggled to deal with their extensive injury list.

Injury nightmare for Eddie Howe

Newcastle’s injury record was one of the worst in the Premier League last season, with them ranking highest in days lost and most games missed – according to data from PremierInjuries.

They also had the third highest time loss injuries, only behind Chelsea and Manchester United who both have much bigger squads.

So with that being said, why did Newcastle suffer so many injuries last season?

The Champions League effect

One of the main reasons for Newcastle’s high injury rate last season was due to the sheer amount of games they had to play.

During the 2022/23 season, Eddie Howe had a fully available squad to choose from which allowed the Magpies to form a consistent spine in the team. Data from PremierInjuries shows that Newcastle had 10+ players who played over 2500 minutes, which gave Howe a big pool of players to choose from.

Last season however was much different mainly due to Newcastle’s small squad size as Champions League qualification ultimately meant more games and more travelling which led to more injuries.

Key players who had been ever-present the season before now had to sit on the sidelines as Eddie Howe’s side struggled to deal with their injury crisis.

Replacing the old guard

Ranking as 3rd highest in the league in terms of average age, Newcastle’s squad needs to be freshened up if they want to avoid yet another injury crisis.

Key figures such as Fabian Schar, Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn are now all aged 32 or above, heading towards the tail end of their careers and ultimately need to be replaced soon.

The acquisitions of the likes of Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento suggest the club reognise the problem and are now looking towards a more youthful approach.

The club however needs to invest further to fill the holes left by the likes of Matt Ritchie and Paul Dummett following their contract exits.

Will Newcastle’s injury woes continue in 2024/25?

Finishing seventh last season, the Toon Army were set for another year of European football in the Europa Conference League – that however all changed following Manchester United’s FA Cup win.

Missing out on European football came as a disappointment to Newcastle supporters, ultimately though it may turn out to be a positive in the long run.

Newcastle’s 2024/25 schedule is now a lot less jam-packed than first expected, which means Eddie Howe’s first-team squad will be less exposed to potential injuries.

A fully-fit squad and some clever acquisitions this summer, Newcastle could potentially achieve something special this year.