Newcastle United ace ruled out for 14 matches with ‘bizarre’ injury blow - will miss Man Utd, Arsenal & Spurs

Anderson has suffered a back injury which is set to keep him out for around eight-weeks for Newcastle heading into a busy run of fixtures. The 20-year-old could miss around 14 matches for Newcastle in total, including upcoming games against the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

Though he could be back just in time for the New Year’s Day match at Liverpool.

“Elliot looks like he’s going to be out for a around eight weeks with a back problem, quite a bizarre injury,” Howe said in his pre-match press conference.

“The next day [after Crystal Palace], he woke up with a sore back and it didn’t really go aways so he’s had scans and tests and it looks like eight weeks.”

The busy schedule, imminent ban for Sandro Tonali and possible yellow card suspension for Bruno Guimaraes would have likely seen Anderson handed an extended run of first-team opportunities. So his untimely injury comes as a big blow to the player and club.

“Elliot is hugely frustrated and we’re hugely frustrated because it was a key moment for him in his career,” Howe told The Gazette.

“This was his breakthrough season in a sense of trying to get more starts and he was doing that, he was well on his way to becoming an important first-team player. Hugely disappointing for him and for us because his versatility was important, he could play different roles but again, we have to accept the situation and try and get him back to his best.