Matt Ritchie told to ease up at Newcastle United

The winger suffered an ankle injury in last month’s Carabao Cup defeat to Leicester City.

It was feared that Ritchie would be sidelined for two months after he was challenged by Hamza Choudhury.

Ritchie, however, had been making good progress in his rehabilitation, but he was “doing too much”, according to head coach Steve Bruce.

Bruce said: “Ritchie was doing really, really well, and had a little bit of a (setback). He was doing too much, basically.”

Florian Lejeune is ready to return to the training field – five months after suffering a serious knee injury.

The defender needed surgery after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee against Crystal Palace late last season.

Lejeune, signed from Eibar two years ago, had only just returned from a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

The 28-year-old – who was operated on by the same surgeon in Rome after the latest injury – is ready to step up his comeback after completing a painstaking rehabilitation programme in Italy and England.

Bruce said: “Lejeune had some really good news, and we hope he can join in next week, and, hopefully, train for the two weeks of the international break.

“The specialist has given him the go-ahead, which is quite remarkable after four months. Next week, he’s in with the squad as well, which is good, because I haven’t seen him.”

Meanwhile, Dwight Gayle – who is yet to feature for United this season because of a calf problem – is running again after being told to rest following a series of consultations with specialists over the past few weeks. The striker – who was loaned to West Bromwich Albion last season – hasn’t been able to train since pre-season, when he broke down.

“Gayle is running,” said Bruce. “We took him off his feet, and the next couple of weeks will be key to that one too.”