BREAKING: Newcastle United key player ruled out for five months after injury ‘setback’

Newcastle United’s Nick Pope continues to be sidelined with a shoulder injury, and it seems he’ll be out for at least another month. The 31-year-old goalkeeper sustained the injury in early December during a match against Manchester United, necessitating surgery. As a result, he has missed the last 20 games across all competitions for The Magpies. Martin Dubravka has filled in during Pope’s absence, but Newcastle’s performance has suffered, causing them to slip to 10th place in the Premier League standings as they approach the final stretch of the season.

Initially given a four-month recovery timeline, Pope’s return was anticipated for early April. However, it appears that his comeback might be delayed, possibly extending to the end of April, according to head coach Eddie Howe. While Pope has been making progress and has begun training on the field, including some non-diving activities, the true test will be when he resumes full goalkeeping duties. Additionally, he will need to regain his match fitness before returning to action.

Once Pope is back in contention, Newcastle will enter the final phase of their 2023-24 campaign. Their upcoming fixtures include matches against Manchester United and Sheffield United in April, followed by three games in May against Burnley, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Brentford.