There’s now an outside chance ‘important’ Newcastle player could return from injury very soon

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Away from the recent Nick Pope news, it feels like Newcastle United’s injury crisis is beginning to ease.

While Pope is going to be out of action for up to five months with a shoulder injury, the Magpies have been boosted by the returns of two other key players.

Sunday’s defeat to Tottenham was a tough watch, but there was one very positive moment when Callum Wilson and Sean Longstaff made their returns from injury. They are back fit once again, just in time for Newcastle’s biggest game of the season on Wednesday night against AC Milan.

Eddie Howe is starting to get bodies back, which will eventually lead to him being able to rotate his side and make proper substitutions that can impact a game.

He will be able to do that in the Champions League on Wednesday, and now a new claim from the Athletic suggests that two more Toon players are very close to a return.

Joe Willock and Sven Botman could soon return from injury for Newcastle

According to the Athletic, Joe Willock and Sven Botman have an ‘outside chance’ of returning from injury ‘imminently’.

They were two massive players for us last season, but have barely been able to feature during the 2023/24 campaign.

Botman hasn’t played for Newcastle since the 8-0 drubbing of Sheffield United, which remains our only away win in the Premier League this season.

As for Willock, we did see him return from his long-term injury, only for the 24-year-old to suffer a fresh setback. He has now missed our last five games, and is proving to be a major absence in midfield.

There was delight among the Toon players when Willock first returned back in October. Sean Longstaff waxed lyrical about the midfielder’s ability, branding him an ‘important’ player who can do things no one else can on Tyneside.

He has the ability to be a gamechanger in attack, which is why Howe will be desperate to get him back as soon as possible.

As for Botman, Newcastle have coped well during his absence. Jamaal Lascelles has played brilliantly, but some cracks have started to form over the past week which has led to fans pining for the Dutchman to return.

He has been missing for a long time with a knee injury, but the Athletic believe that a comeback for him and Willock could be right around the corner.