Newcastle striker Daryl Murphy has been sent back home from international duty with the Republic of Ireland after a scan showed a recurrence of an old calf injury, reports the Shields Gazette.
The 34 year old was out for two and half months with the issue between mid October and the end of December, and it seems likely he will miss the Magpies’ next match against Wigan Athletic on the 1st of April.
The Irishman was picked ahead of Dwight Gayle and Aleksandar Mitrovic to start the club’s last league match in the 0-0 draw against Birmingham City. The forward had been on a run of form which saw him score two goals in his last four games.
Manager Rafa Benitez will be hoping that top goalscorer Dwight Gayle will be fully fit to replace Murphy. The 27 year old has been suffering from hamstring problems since the turn of the year, and has scored just one goal since mid January.
