Newcastle facing striker crisis as Wilson out for up to eight weeks
Callum Wilson is facing an eight-week spell on the sidelines at Newcastle United.
Head coach Eddie Howe issued the update on the striker after the FA Cup defeat to League One club Cambridge United.
Wilson, the club’s leading scorer, suffered a calf tear in the 1-1 draw against Manchester United on December 27.
“He had a scan,” said coach
Howe. “I think he’s going to be out for eight weeks.”
A second-half strike from Joe Ironside gave Cambridge a shock 1-0 win at St James’s Park.
“We’re desperately disappointed,” said Howe.
The diagnosis on the scale of the former Bournemouth forward’s injury and length of time he faces on the sidelines, is likely to intensify United’s approach to the January transfer window to try and find a suitable replacement.
Meanwhile, Howe explained his decision to take off Jacob Murphy in the shock FA Cup defeat.
Newcastle dominated the third round tie for long periods but couldn’t find the net, and the performance underlined the need for the club to sign a striker in this month's transfer window.
Jacob Murphy was moved up front by Howe, and the winger was a threat in front of goal up to his surprise 60th-minute withdrawal.
Asked about the decision to take Murphy off, Howe said: “Yeah, Jacob Murphy did well, whether he played wide or up front, I thought he did well.
"I just felt, at that moment in time, we were at a stage in the game where I needed to try something different, look at different options, so we ended up moving Ryan [Fraser] there. He’s played that role for Scotland.
"We ended up moving Joe [Joelinton] up there, Max [Allan Saint-Maximin] again up there.
"We were just trying to find a solution, and not disrupt the rhythm of the team. I don’t think we disrupted the rhythm, but I don’t think we found the answer.”
Howe – who sent on Joe Willock, Miguel Almiron and Javier Manquillo after his team went behind – could have made two more substitutions under FA Cup rules.
However, Newcastle’s head coach opted to leave 19-year-old midfielder Elliot Anderson – who made his senior debut against Arsenal a year ago – on the bench.