Newcastle United's Callum Wilson drops massive injury update ahead of Manchester City game

Wilson, the club’s six-goal leading scorer, has been sidelined since December 27 with an Achilles/calf injury. However, Wilson has put him in contention for a late-season comeback after coming through a painstaking rehabilitation programme.

Wilson issued the update on The Footballer’s Football Podcast in conversation with West Ham United striker Mikael Antonio ahead of Sunday’s game against the Premier League leaders at the Etihad Stadium.

The 30-year-old this week posted a reel of his goals on Instagram with a recharging emoji.

Asked about the post by Antonio, Wilson said: “I am fully charged now. It was a little subtle indication that I’m back without saying I’m back. Yeah, it was a little reel of my goals and stuff like that. It was more for myself. It was quite good, and I thought I’d share it with my Instagram followers.

"I’m back now training. So it’s been a good week. It’s been a long time coming, but we’re there.”

Eddie Howe issued a short update on Wilson last week. United’s head coach said: “Callum’s not quite there yet, but he’s edging closer and doing a lot of work with the sports science team.”

Howe also hopes to have defender Kieran Trippier back before the end of the season.

Trippier, sidelined since mid-February after fracturing the fifth metatarsal in his left foot, returned to training last week.

Speaking last Friday, Howe said: “We’ll see how his training week progresses. Yes, that training session was yesterday (Friday), so he was never going to be in contention to play (against Liverpool). We’ll see how he progresses during the week.”

Newcastle are 10th in the Premier League table ahead of the City game. Pep Guardiola’s side are a point ahead of second-placed Liverpool, who beat United 1-0 at St James’s Park.

City were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid last night.

Guardiola said: “I have had defeats in the Champions League. I had tough defeats at Barcelona when we could not reach the final. But it’s tough for us, I can’t deny that. We were so close to the Champions League final.”