JOELINTON will miss Newcastle United’s final game of the season at Chelsea, with Eddie Howe admitting his side is pretty much ‘stretched to the limit’ ahead of the trip to Stamford Bridge.

Joelinton ruled out of Newcastle’s final-day game at Chelsea

32 mins ago

JOELINTON

By Scott WilsonscottwilsonechoChief Sports Write

Joelinton will miss Newcastle's season-ending game at Chelsea because of injury <i>(Image: PA)</i>

Joelinton will miss Newcastle’s season-ending game at Chelsea because of injury (Image: PA)

JOELINTON will miss Newcastle United’s final game of the season at Chelsea, with Eddie Howe admitting his side is pretty much ‘stretched to the limit’ ahead of the trip to Stamford Bridge.

Having suffered a knock in the home win over Brighton, Joelinton experienced further pain during the warm-up ahead of Monday’s game with Leicester City and was forced to pull out of the starting line-up ahead of the goalless draw.

He has not recovered sufficiently to feature in Sunday’s season-ending game in West London, with Howe understandably reluctant to take any risks with Newcastle’s place in next season’s Champions League already

Joe Willock, Javier Manquillo, Matt Ritchie and Jamaal Lascelles are also unavailable, along with Nick Pope, who underwent hand surgery earlier this week, and it remains to be seen whether Howe also opts to rest Bruno Guimaraes, who has been playing through the pain barrier because of an ankle issue in recent weeks.

“I don’t really think we’ve got anyone left to rest,” said Howe. “We’ve got a few issues, and the end of the season has come at a good time for us because we would have been really stretched.

READ MORE:

Eddie Howe’s ‘marquee signing’ admission as Newcastle’s transfer plan is revealed
Garang Kuol set for another loan move away from Newcastle United next season
Newcastle United boss wants to keep Martin Dubravka at St James’ Park
The Northern Echo’s North-East Team of the Season for 2022-23

“Players like Joelinton will miss the game, Manquillo will miss the game, then we’ve got the others who have been injured going into the Leicester game. We’re stretched, but it will give us a chance to have a look at one or two other things.

While Newcastle are guaranteed a top-four spot, Manchester United’s victory over Chelsea last night means Erik ten Hag’s side head into the final weekend sitting in third position. The Magpies need to win at Stamford Bridge to have any chance of reclaiming third spot, and then hope Manchester United fail to win their final game at home to Fulham.

“Every place matters,” said Howe. “We’d love to do it (finish third). It’s out of our hands, but we’ll go to Chelsea and try to win the game. Every place is worth a considerable sum of money, and that’s not lost on us. We will do our best, and while the squad is stretched, we will hopefully go with a team that can do very well.”

Newcastle (probable, 4-3-3): Dubravka; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Almiron, Longstaff, Anderson; Murphy, Wilson, Isak.