Newcastle United bombshell fitness blow sees 19-year-old start at right-back v Fulham
Newcastle United have been dealt a bombshell injury blow ahead of their Carabao Cup quarter-final against Fulham.
Newcastle United are in defensive crisis territory after yet another fitness concern at the back was confirmed ahead of Wednesday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final against Fulham.
The Magpies are already without Sven Botman, Emil Krafth and Kieran Trippier, while Dan Burn suffered a rib injury during Sunday’s 1-0 defeat at Sunderland which is set to sideline him for four to six weeks.
With Jamaal Lascelles also recovering from a muscle problem, leaving Eddie Howe was a distinct shortage of options in defence. Fabian Schar and Malick Thiaw are the club’s only fit and available centre-backs, while Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall were expected to be the only available senior full-backs for Howe.
The duo played the full 90 minutes at the Stadium of Light on Sunday. Livramento keeps his place in the side against Fulham while Hall drops out of the matchday squad.
The 21-year-old left-back has had a tough year with injuries having only returned from a hamstring problem last month. Before that, Hall had spent between February and August on the sidelines with a foot injury that required surgery and saw him miss the Carabao Cup final win over Liverpool.
Newcastle’s lack of defensive options has seen Howe turn to the club’s Under-21s squad.
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Newcastle United call up 18-year-old to matchday squad v Fulham
21-year-old Alex Murphy has regularly featured in the bench in recent weeks as defensive cover at left-back and centre-back, but hasn’t got on the pitch.
And for the first time this season, Howe has called up 18-year-old Leo Shahar to the first-team matchday squad as right-back cover. Shahar was named on the bench in Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Brentford at St James’ Park last season but hasn’t made his competitive debut for the club.
Last week, he featured for Newcastle Under-19s in the UEFA Youth League defeat at Bayer Leverkusen.
18-year-old forward Sean Neave is also part of the matchday squad once again, but he is another still waiting to make his first competitive appearance.
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Lewis Hall is out for Newcastle United v Fulham
Hall’s absence from Newcastle’s matchday squad against Fulham sees Tino Livramento switch over to left-back while 19-year-old Lewis Miley starts out of position at right-back.
NUFC line-up v Fulham confirmed
Newcastle United’s confirmed line-up hands Yoane Wissa his first start for the club, more than three months after his £55million deadline day arrival from Brentford.
Howe has made six changes to the side that lost on Sunday with Fabian Schar, Joe Willock, Jacob Ramsey, Jacob Murphy, Harvey Barnes and Yoane Wissa coming into the side. Hall drops out of the squad along with Dan Burn while Sandro Tonali, Anthony Gordon, Anthony Elanga and Nick Woltemade drop to the bench.
Starting XI: Ramsdale; Miley, Thiaw, Schar, Livramento; Bruno G, Willock, Ramsey; Murphy, Barnes, Wissa