Expectant father Ciaran Clark among Newcastle’s defensive doubts

Posted Friday, February 05, 2021 by PA

Newcastle head coach Steve Bruce is facing a defensive crisis ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Southampton.

Skipper Jamaal Lascelles (hamstring) and Federico Fernandez (muscle) are out, while Paul Dummett (muscle) and Jamal Lewis (hamstring) are doubts and expectant father Ciaran Clark could also miss out.

Loan signing Joe Willock is available for the first time since completing his temporary move from Arsenal, while fellow midfielder Matt Ritchie returns to the squad following the collapse of his proposed return to Bournemouth. Christian Atsu has been added to the 25-man league squad as a result of DeAndre Yedlin’s departure for Galatasaray.

Southampton’s injury crisis appears to be abating slightly, and Ralph Hasenhuttl could have Oriol Romeu and Yannik Vestergaard available for the trip to Newcastle.

Takumi Minamino could be in line to make his debut after joining the Saints on loan from Liverpool towards the end of the January transfer window, with Shane Long and Yan Valery departing the club on loan.

Romeu trained on Thursday, but it remains to be seen whether he will be fit enough, while Vestergaard has a slightly better chance of recovering in time. Alexandre Jankewitz is suspended after his early red card against Manchester United but Jan Bednarek’s dismissal was overturned on appeal.

Newcastle provisional squad: Darlow, Dubravka, Manquillo, Krafth, Lewis, Schar, Clark, Dummett, Shelvey, Hayden, M. Longstaff, S. Longstaff, Murphy, Fraser, Willock, Ritchie, Anderson, Hendrick, Atsu, Almiron, Saint-Maximin, Wilson, Joelinton, Gayle, Carroll.

Southampton provisional squad: McCarthy, Bednarek, Vestergaard, Stephens, Bertrand, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Armstrong, Adams, Ings, Forster, Redmond, Djenepo, Minamino, Ramsay, N’Lundulu, Ferry, Watts, Vokins.