Kieran Trippier Newcastle United substitution explained amid England Euro 2024 injury fears

Less than 24 hours after being named in the provisional England squad for Euro 2024, Kieran Trippier was an early substitute for Newcastle United against Tottenham Hotspur.

The 33-year-old has only just returned from a two-month calf injury lay-off and was taken off 37 minutes into the match in Melbourne. Following his withdrawal he had an ice pack around his lower leg which was later removed.

Newcastle won the game on penalties after Alexander Isak cancelled out James Maddison’s opener. After the match, Trippier appeared uninjured in the celebratory team photo alongside his teammates.

And it was confirmed after the match that Trippier’s substitution was ‘pre-planned’ to take place just after the half-hour mark. The right-back will be hoping to get back to full fitness in time for Euro 2024 next month.

Before that, England face Bosnia & Herzegovina at St James’ Park on June 3 and Iceland at Wembley Stadium on June 7. If fit, Trippier is likely to be named in the final squad for the tournament which is set to be between 23 and 26 players.

Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon is also pushing to be involved despite his own injury troubles.

Trippier and Newcastle still have another game to play in Australia this week as they face an A-League All Stars XI on Friday (8:05am kick-off).

After a 51-game competitive season riddled by injuries, Trippier admitted the 20,000 mile round-trip post-season was ‘not ideal’.

“It’s not ideal because it’s a tournament year,” he said prior to jetting off to Australia. “I understand why the club are doing it. 

“I’ve done it at Tottenham and Madrid but from my own experience of it – in a tournament year [with the Euros and Copa America] it’s not ideal. But we’re players, we’ve got to do what’s right for the club, for the club to move forward.

“When we’re there it’ll be good, we’ll embrace it and experience it. Hopefully it goes smoothly.

“But it’s not like it’s Benidorm around the corner, it’s 25 hours away. There’s no excuses or anything, I understand why the club are doing it and we’ve just got to get on with it.”

There will be around three weeks from Newcastle United returning from Australia and England’s Euro 2024 campaign getting underway against Serbia on Sunday 16 June at Veltins-Arena in Germany.