Eddie Howe has hinted Ryan Fraser suffered a hamstring injury during Friday’s win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
What’s the latest Newcastle United injury news?
While spirits are high following a victory that surely keeps Eddie Howe’s team in the division, the sight of Fraser – a key player under Howe – limping off after only 13 minutes was incredibly concerning.
Fortunately, replacement Miguel Almiron produced one of his better displays but with Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson already out of action, the idea of missing Fraser is a worry.
Indeed, the Scottish international appears to have found a new lease of life under his former Bournemouth manager and to see his progress potentially curtailed with so little of the season left is undoubtedly disappointing.
How big a miss would Fraser be?
Granted, Newcastle are in a relatively comfortable position in the table, but still have seven games to play.
Ahead of what is surely set to be a huge first summer of the PIF era, it’s important to finish the season strongly and, frankly, the chances of doing that are higher with Fraser in the team.
Nobody in a Newcastle shirt has registered more assists thus far (3) with only Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin scoring more goals (6 and 5 to 2). With Wilson injured and Saint-Maximin in poor form, Newcastle could be losing one of their most productive attackers.
What did Howe say about Fraser?
Speaking after the game, Howe provided the latest update (via Miles Starforth): “It looks like a hamstring issue. I don’t know how serious it is, but it was enough to bring him off the pitch, which is a huge blow with the form he’s been in.”
Could this be a chance for Almiron?
Potentially.
While the Paraguayan has been linked with an exit ahead of a potential summer overhaul, Almiron did impress against Wolves.
According to WhoScored data, the 28-year-old completed 94.1% of his 17 passes (the highest accuracy rate in the Newcastle team aside from Fraser’s very brief cameo), played one key pass (the joint-highest in the team) and completed one dribble (behind only Saint-Maximin and Bruno Guimaraes).
Considering Almiron’s passing accuracy stands at 80.4% for the season and his averages for key passes and dribbles and key passes stand at 0.9 and 0.6 respectively, it seems fair to suggest it was the kind of performance he just hasn’t produced often enough.
But for a tight offside call, he would have played a huge role in Chris Wood’s eventually overturned opener, with Almiron’s backheel playing Guimaraes in to tee up the striker.
If he can replicate that kind of performance going forward, perhaps there’s life in Almiron’s Newcastle career yet.
