Abdulhafiz TeslimNewcastle United have been dealt another injury concern ahead of their trip to Tottenham Hotspur, with one of their attacking options set to miss the game.
The Magpies are preparing for another difficult Premier League test after their entertaining opening-day draw with Liverpool, but Matthias Jaissle will have to make changes to his plans after the latest team news.
The player involved picked up the problem during that Liverpool game and was unable to continue. There had been some concern immediately after the incident, although the injury was not considered as serious as first feared.
However, he has not recovered in time to be involved against Tottenham and is now expected to spend some time on the sidelines.
That player is William Osula.
The 22-year-old forward was brought off during the second half against Liverpool after suffering a foot problem following a collision with Alisson. Further assessment has since been carried out, with reports indicating that Osula could be unavailable for at least a couple of weeks.
It is frustrating timing for both the player and Newcastle.
Osula had been expected to provide another option in attack this season, particularly with Jaissle looking for different ways to rotate his forwards during a busy campaign.
His absence means the Newcastle boss has fewer choices to work with against Spurs.
Yoane Wissa is expected to lead the line, while Nick Woltemade could also be considered depending on the formation and approach Jaissle decides to use.
There are further concerns elsewhere in the squad too.
Newcastle are expected to be without Dan Burn and Joelinton, while Tino Livramento is also unavailable for the Tottenham match. Bazoumana Touré is another player whose fitness remains a question mark.
That makes the trip to north London even more complicated for Jaissle.
Tottenham will be looking to make the most of home advantage, while Newcastle will be desperate to follow up their impressive display against Liverpool with another strong result.
The Osula injury also comes at an interesting point in the summer window.
With the deadline approaching, Newcastle’s attacking options will naturally come under greater scrutiny, particularly if the club feels Osula’s absence leaves them short in certain areas.
For now, though, Jaissle’s attention will be firmly on Tottenham and finding the right solution with the players available.
Newcastle showed against Liverpool that they can cause problems even when faced with difficult circumstances.
They will need another strong team performance at Spurs — because the latest injury news has certainly made Jaissle’s job a little harder.
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Abdulhafiz Teslim