Before tomorrow night’s match at St. James’ Park against Everton, Eddie Howe has been providing an update to the media regarding injuries.
He disclosed that the most recent player to be sidelined due to an Achilles problem is Matt Targett. Although the left-back is predicted to return “shortly,” he now joins a long list of players who may not be ready for Tuesday.
Following three games missed due to a “difficult” calf injury—against Chelsea, Man City, and West Ham—Kieran Trippier is “improving.”
Howe acknowledges that he’s “desperate to be involved” tomorrow and says he’ll “see how he goes.” The manager believes we should return the right-back “at the right time” and handle him “very carefully.”
“Kieran is improving.” Howe said. “It has been a difficult injury for him. An injury to the calf, one we have to be very careful with and we’d hoped he’d be fit in and around the West Ham game but we’ll have to wait and see how he goes during this week.”
“He’s desperate to be involved, he knows what’s at stake for us towards the end of the season and his qualities are obvious. We’re desperate to have him back but it has to be at the right time.”
On Matt Targett, Howe added: “Not a big problem, he has a little bit of tendonitits on his achilles. We envisage he will be back soon.”
The former Aston Villa left-back had been nearing full fitness after recovering from hamstring surgery, but it sums up our injury woes this season that he now has a separate issue keeping him sidelined.
