Newcastle United midfielder Jonjo Shelvey has returned to training ahead of the clash against Watford this weekend, the club has confirmed on Twitter.
The 26-year-old key player has not started a Premier League match for the Magpies since they last played Saturday’s opponents back in November, where he was hauled off due to an ongoing thigh problem.
Jonjo Shelvey was back in training today. The influential midfielder's last start came when Newcastle beat tomorrow's opponents, @WatfordFC, at St. James' Park in November.
Check out the full gallery here: https://t.co/X5OF3CgelA #NUFC pic.twitter.com/UvpGU9coN7
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) December 28, 2018
The Chronicle also report that he faces a late fitness test which will determine whether he will be available to feature against the Hornets after playing just 20 minutes of football this month.
Benitez would have wanted Shelvey to have a longer period of time to recover, but Ki Sung-Yueng’s absence means there are less players available in midfield.
OPINION
What a boost this would be if Shelvey were to overcome his late fitness test. There is a risk of him making his thigh problem worse due to not taking more time out, but with Ki away with South Korea for the Asian Cup, Benitez is not blessed with too many options in central midfield. The return of Shelvey would be a very welcome one indeed, and it would be one that is seriously needed at the moment. Shelvey would no doubt be a bit rusty if he were to return to action against Watford, but settling in once again will take some time after a long period out. Yes, he was mostly in action for the time Newcastle had a string of successive losses – some may view that as a coincidence, some may not – but that is not to say that he cannot make an impact this time around. He is a hugely dependable player, and he will definitely prove that if he is given the opportunity.
