Eddie Howe said full-back Tino Livramento is a doubt to face Chelsea on Saturday after he was forced off with a knee injury during Newcastle United’s Carabao Cup quarter-final win against Fulham.
Livramento, 23, received medical attention on the pitch at St James’ Park on Wednesday before being replaced in the 76th minute. He walked around the pitch at full time with an ice pack around his left knee.
Howe described the defender’s need to be withdrawn as “worrying” as Newcastle contend with a number of defensive injuries but said he was unsure on the severity of the problem at this stage.
“It looks looks like a knee problem and Tino’s had issues with knee injuries before,” Howe told a post-match press conference. “So the fact he had to come off and he’s such an honest, dependable lad – that sends worrying signs, really, for his participation maybe in the Chelsea game. Let’s wait and see.”
Livramento spent over a month on the sidelines between October and November after suffering ligament damage to his left knee earlier this season. He was sidelined for nearly a year when he sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, again in his left knee, in April 2022 while playing for Southampton.
Newcastle are already contending with a number of defensive injury absences, with Dan Burn, Sven Botman, Kieran Trippier and Emil Krafth all sidelined.
Lewis Hall also missed Wednesday’s win against Fulham due to a hamstring problem, with Livramento moving to left-back and midfielder Lewis Miley slotting in at right-back. Howe, however, said Hall is in contention to return to face Chelsea at the weekend.
“Lewis (Hall), we’re more positive on. He couldn’t play today. He felt some tightness in his hamstring, but he has a chance for Chelsea. We’ve got a number of injuries to the same position, which is never good.”
Asked about the possibility of recalling left-back Matt Targett from his season-long loan spell at Middlesbrough in January as a solution to the extensive defensive injury list, Howe replied: “We’ll make that decision closer to the date where we have to, but certainly at the moment… I don’t have many more rabbits to pull out of the hat to be honest, so we’re in dangerous territory, so let’s see.”
Newcastle were 2-1 winners over Fulham thanks to Miley’s stoppage-time goal to secure their place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals, where they will play Manchester City.