Many Newcastle United supporters have been reacting on social media after Steve Bruce confirmed that Jonjo Shelvey will miss the Magpies’ Premier League clash with Leicester City, after the former England international sustained a grade two hamstring injury.
The midfielder suffered the blow during last week’s home encounter with Brighton & Hove Albion, in which he exited the field of play in the 73rd minute while the Toon held on for a point as the Seagulls enjoyed 71.3% of possession (WhoScored).
It was the 27-year-old’s fifth appearance of the season across all competitions (TransferMarkt), but now faces weeks on the sidelines as Newcastle face Leicester and Manchester United before the October international break.
Sean Longstaff could now replace Shelvey in Bruce’s starting line-up at the King Power Stadium on Sunday, having returned to fitness following a recent ankle problem that kept the North Shields-born midfielder from featuring in the Magpies’ last two top-flight fixtures.
Speaking at his pre-Foxes press conference on Friday morning, Bruce said, via quotes by the Chronicle: “Shelvey has a problem with a hamstring – he’s out.
“He’s got a grade two hamstring [injury] and that’s a couple of weeks [out]. It was in the game last week, [but] he has been hampered with it for a long time, last year too, it’s not 100% right.
“I do think he’s been playing with it [and] we will now take this opportunity to make sure it’s right.”
Bruce added that Matt Ritchie is not too far away from making a return to action from the ankle injury he sustained in the Carabao Cup encounter with Leicester earlier in the campaign, while Allan Saint-Maximin and Andy Carroll appear ok heading into the league meeting.
Newcastle supporters are not overly concerned by Shelvey’s absence, though, as many feel it could be a ‘blessing in disguise’ and offer the ex-Liverpool and Swansea City man a chance to ‘find himself again’ as he ‘was getting dropped anyway’.
Here are a selection of the reactions shared…
Blessing in disguise. He needs some time out to find himself again and we need people with fight and heart stronger than a wet lettuce. I use to think we were done without him but the guys a liability
— David Tasker (@DavidTazGolf9) September 27, 2019
Brilliant news
— rafa (@rafa201888) September 27, 2019
Might be a Blessing tbh.. And to think the club might be willing to give him a new Contract..
— CHRISDOBO1973 (@ChrisDobey) September 27, 2019
Convenient when he was getting dropped anyway….
— David Jones (@DaJones1972) September 27, 2019
How many injuries this season though . Embarrassing
— sbsam (@sbsam_sam) September 27, 2019
Most positive injury news I’ve heard
— Adam Campbell (@AdamCam70223591) September 27, 2019
Champion
— Hodgey (@hodgey222011) September 27, 2019
Must have torn it getting out of bed cause he doesn’t move any more than 5 yards during a game
— samzala93 (@samzala93) September 27, 2019
