Newcastle manager Steve Bruce has revealed that Jetro Willems could be the latest to join the club's growing list of long-term absentees after he suffered a 'horrendous' injury against Chelsea.
The Dutch full-back had to be stretchered off in agony during Newcastle's 1-0 win over Chelsea on Saturday with a knee injury which Bruce fears could be cruciate ligament damage, an injury with a long recovery period.
Willems is the second Newcastle defender to leave the pitch for the treatment room in quick succession following Paul Dummett's hamstring injury in the FA Cup third-round replay in midweek.
Bruce, speaking after the Chelsea game, told Sky Sports:
"We fear it's his cruciate," t
Should the injury sustained by Willems prove to be damage to his cruciate ligament, the 25-year-old may have played his last game for Newcastle, given his loan from Bundesliga side, Eintracht Frankfurt, comes to an end this summer.
This was not the first time Willems has been forced off the field before half-time through injury. Newcastle started the new year with a match to forget as they limped to a 3-0 home loss against Leicester, with the operative word being 'limped'.
By the time the first 45 minutes had elapsed, Newcastle were not only two goals down but also three players down through injury, including Willems. To compound matters, Fabian Schär became the fourth player of the day to leave the field shortly after half time after pulling his thigh, leaving Bruce with ten men against one of the best sides in the league.
Source : 90min