Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez is sweating over the fitness of senior duo Jamaal Lascelles and Jonjo Shelvey with the possibility that both could be left at home for the clash against Burnley, according to the Chronicle.
The newspaper claim on their website that the English pair have been forced to sit out training sessions this week in the build up to the visit to Turf Moor on Monday night, having sat out the win over Bournemouth before the international break.
Benitez is said to be likely to call upon Ki Seung-yung in place of Shelvey and Fabian Schar to replace Lascelles in case of their absences, with the duo having started against the Cherries.
Opinion
This might not be the worst news in the world, for the Magpies have picked up their first two wins of the season without either the midfield maestro or dominant centre back. That is likely to be coincidence for many would argue they are a stronger side with both in the team, but it would be extremely harsh to see anyone axed from the side who have picked up two consecutive wins. Burnley are going to be a tough test in what is the Magpies’ first away game in their last three outings and so Benitez and the rest of the Toon Army would probably love to have Shelvey and Lascelles at their disposal – even if it was just as options off the bench. Success in the Premier League often comes down to how much quality in depth you have and Newcastle are looking a little thin around the edges right now. How they could do with their star men recovering sooner rather than later.