Newcastle United entered the international break carrying a significant injury list, with Matthias Jaissle forced to name four teenagers on the bench for Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Hull City.
Anthony Elanga was among the senior players missing after suffering a hamstring injury in training before the defeat at Leeds United.
Sky Sports’ Keith Downie reported Saturday that Elanga is making good progress and there is now hope the winger could return after the three-week international break. Elanga underwent
a second scan during the week and will remain with Newcastle rather than joining Sweden for its upcoming Nations League matches.
“Anthony Elanga is making good progress recovering from his hamstring injury — and there is hope he could be back after the international break,” Downie reported. “The Swedish winger missed the defeat to Leeds and won’t feature against Hull on Saturday.”
The update represents a significant improvement from the uncertainty surrounding Elanga earlier in the week.
Jaissle confirmed Thursday that the 24-year-old was undergoing another MRI scan, with Newcastle still waiting to establish the severity of the problem.
“No real update on Anthony. I’ve spoken with him now, he is heading for an MRI scan,” Jaissle said. “We will get more clarity after that, and hope it’s not too serious. It is sad after the great start he had. He is a key strength in our squad and we want to stay positive.”
Downie added that Elanga “is making progress quickly” and will miss Sweden’s four Nations League fixtures while Newcastle oversees his rehabilitation during the break, giving him ample time to recover ahead of the Magpies’ return to action.
Meanwhile, Dan Burn, Joelinton, Jacob Ramsey, William Osula, Nico Gonzalez, Ewen Jaouen, Tino Livramento and Amar Dedic were also unavailable against Hull.
How important would it be for Newcastle to have Elanga back immediately after the international break? Let us know what you think in the comments.
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