‘A great place’ - Newcastle United star makes positive injury admission after Eddie Howe revelation

Lascelles has been out injured since late-March after sustaining an ACL injury during a match against West Ham at St James’ Park. The 31-year-old’s campaign ended prematurely then and he hasn’t been seen in action since.

With just a few months left on his current contract on Tyneside, Lascelles may not be playing a role on the pitch, but he remains a key figure off it, is club captain and part of Eddie Howe’s ‘leadership group’ alongside Bruno Guimaraes, Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn, Callum Wilson and Jacob Murphy. There are still over two months of the season left to play and whilst Lascelles faces a tight turnaround to feature before the end of the season, that does remain a possibility and the defender is hopeful of featuring before the campaign concludes.

Writing in his matchday programme column ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup clash against Brighton and Hove Albion, Lascelles said: ‘I definitely feel like I’m getting on the right track in my recovery from an ACL injury. I’ve had a couple of little setbacks - nothing to do with the knee, just low-level muscle injuries which can happen when you spend such a long period of time away from the grass and your body adapts to the increasing load.

‘But physically and mentally, I’m in a great place and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.’

Both Emil Krafth and Sven Botman have recently suffered and subsequently returned from ACL injuries, with Lascelles previously revealing that he has taken inspiration from the pair in his rehabilitation journey. Having spent over a decade contracted to the club - and with nine of those years being club captain, Lascelles has been a key figure on Tyneside for over a decade, making over 250 appearances in that time.

Many will be keen to see Lascelles return to action this season, even if it is only to see him make a farewell appearance. Speaking about his club captain last month, Howe admitted that it could be towards the end of the campaign when Lascelles is fit enough to make his return to action. “Jamaal's continuing to work. He works extraordinarily long hours to try and get himself fit.

“I think he was here until five o'clock again [last Thursday]. Dedicated, as you've seen a player try to return from injury.

“He's had various problems and little setbacks, nothing major during his recovery, but just little moments that have ended up knocking his recovery back. So he's been on the grass. He's been training individually with physios.

“He hasn't got beyond that stage yet, but I think he's in a pretty good place. We're probably looking towards the end of the season as a return date for him.”

Up next for the Magpies is back-to-back trips to London for a clash against West Ham on Monday 10 December before their Carabao Cup final against Liverpool six days later on Sunday 16 March.

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