Medical expert Ben Dinnery has been discussing Allan Saint-Maximin and his injury situation at Newcastle United.
The 24-year-old has been a very integral part of the Newcastle side this season. Not only has he managed to bag five goals and three assists so far during the campaign, but he also leads the team in dribbles per game, ranks second in shots per game, whilst also ranking third for key passes (via WhoScored).
However, he has been absent for the past two games with an injury. He appeared to be doing all he could to be back for their game this past weekend against Brentford by going through some rehab in Monaco, with Newcastle boss Eddie Howe claiming that it would be a “late call” whether or not to include him, but it was ultimately too soon for him to be back in action.
Dinnery discussed the Frenchman’s situation on his YouTube channel, and suggested that it may very well be another case of it being left until the last minute before a decision could be made on him returning to the side this coming weekend as they get set to face Brighton & Hove Albion at St. James’ Park.
He said: “We know that he was in Monaco last week, he was getting intensive treatment, we’ve seen images of him in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to try and speed up that healing process.
“He returned to Tyneside on Friday. Unfortunately, the game came a little bit too soon. In fact, Eddie Howe said that he wasn’t really very close. So fingers crossed and we’ll hope that he can return this weekend. It’s going to be touch and go as it currently stands.”
TIF Thoughts on Ben Dinnery’s comments about Allan Saint-Maximin at Newcastle United…
Will Saint-Maximin play this weekend?
Yes!
No!
As Dinnery alluded to, speaking after the game against Brentford, Howe was quoted as saying that “he was some way short in the end”, so it appears as if there is some work to do when it comes to Saint-Maximin getting back in a position to be involved in the first-team picture once again.
However, given that Newcastle seem to have done OK without him these past two weeks – drawing with a West Ham United side fighting for a Champions League spot and defeating Brentford – you could make the argument that they don’t need to rush him back.
Much in a similar vein to how Newcastle United journalist John Gibson thinks that Bruno Guimarães won’t start a game until the club lose, if they can get by without Saint-Maximin for another game or so rather than risk rushing him back and making his injury worse, it could well be that he will stay out of the side until such a time when they desperately need him.
In other news: ‘Superb’ – Well-known pundit blown away by Newcastle ace