Jamaal Lascelles has been classed as extremely doubtful for Newcastle United’s game against Leicester City by manager Steve Bruce.
The Magpies’ captain was forced off the field towards the end of Newcastle’s 1-0 victory over Tottenham on Sunday, being replaced by Federico Fernandez.
Bruce confirmed in his pre-match press conference as quoted on Newcastle’s official Twitter account that Lascelles was to be assessed before the game on Wednesday.
“Jamaal’s got a calf (injury),” he confirmed.
“We’ll see how he is, but he’s extremely doubtful.”
The 25-year-old was a mainstay under Rafael Benitez in the previous two seasons in the Premier League, making 32 starts in back-to-back campaigns.
OPINION
This will be a massive miss for Newcastle, but it couldn’t have come at a better time for the Magpies. With Wednesday’s game being in the second round of the Carabao Cup, Bruce will surely be set to make changes to his squad, rotating his options so some senior players can have a rest after a hectic start to the season. With the international break also around the corner after the Magpies play Watford in the Premier League the weekend after Wednesday’s clash, the two-week break will be the perfect opportunity to rest. Lascelles is an integral part of Bruce’s plans as he captain – having featured in all three games so far. The 25-year-old has 2.7 interceptions and 5.7 clearances so far this season according to WhoScored – and will continue to play a pivotal role in the heart of defence should Newcastle continue their progression from Rafael Benitez and finish in mid-table this season.
