Newcastle United injury bombshell as key player snubs medical advice ahead of season-ending injury

Eddie Howe has revealed Sven Botman went against guidance from Newcastle United in an attempt to avoid surgery on an initial ACL injury picked up in September.

Botman was ruled out for three months earlier in the season after suffering a partial ACL tear. The 24-year-old defender avoided surgery and returned to playing between December and March only to suffer another ACL injury which now requires surgery.

Botman will be ruled out for six to nine months with the injury.

"A big blow," Howe admitted. "Quite a complex story around Sven this season since he got his knee injury. Initially he had a partial tear of his ACL.

"We sought specialist opinion on that injury and there were sort of conflicting reports coming back on what he should do next. Ultimately our medical team advised him to get surgery, he himself wanted to carry on playing.

"We always try to guide and help the players but ultimately it's their bodies and they have to make the final decision. Unfortunately, he succumbed to injury eventually. But I've seen several players from that injury carry on playing and stay fit.

"It's a delicate period for him and he has a long period of rehab ahead of him and we wish him well and hope he comes back in a good place. "He's aggravated the initial problem and now he has had surgery."

When pressed on why Botman didn't undergo surgery initially, Howe added: "It was [Botman's decision]. Of course, the medical team advised Sven and that's all they can do in that do in that situation can make a recommendation.

"Ultimately the player felt his knee was good, he felt his knee was strong. He felt confident in it, he did a lot of work to get back, he sought specialist opinion and they helped him. That was how it went.

"As always in these situations, we don't have the benefit of hindsight, I wish we did. Now, he has a long period, he's had the operation, it's gone well, there was no other damage to the knee and it's just the ACL, which is a great thing and hopefully he'll be back pretty quickly. "There was no swelling on the knee [following the initial injury], he said the knee felt strong and stable. So, I think from the player's perspective, if I can put myself in Sven's shoes, when you feel the knee is good and then someone says, 'Yeah but you need an operation, or you might need an operation and you'll be out for nine months', if you're not feeling that yourself then it's very difficult to commit to surgery.

"That's why it was a really difficult situation for him to try and navigate his way through that period. It's happened. We just have to deal with this situation that he and we're in, we're going to miss a player for a long time, it's a huge blow to us, there's no denying that. But the main thing is he gets back to his best form."