Eddie Howe finds it ‘great’ seeing Callum Wilson back on the grass as the Newcastle United striker continues to step up his rehabilitation from injury, via quotes by Chronicle Live.
The forward has hit the grass pitches while the Toon enjoy a warm-weather training camp in Dubai during the international break. Wilson has not featured for the Magpies since the St James’ Park outfit hosted Manchester United in December for his 15th outing this term.
A calf injury forced Wilson off at half-time against the Red Devils, before scans revealed in early January the full extent of the damage. It also forced Howe to splash £25m on signing Chris Wood in the winter transfer market. Exploiting a release clause in his deal at Burnley.
Yet despite now missing 10 games and four earlier in the season with a thigh injury, Wilson remains Newcastle’s top scorer in the Premier League so far this term with six in 15 games.
Howe is now looking forward to soon having Wilson back from injury as Newcastle look to secure their top-flight status. Six wins in 10 without the 30-year-old has lifted the Toon up to 14th-place with a nine point advantage over Watford in the nearest drop zone position.
“Getting Callum back would be a massive lift,” Howe said. “Whenever a player returns and [we] see them on the grass, it’s a great thing. We hope to get him back, and he would be a massive player to get back as we go into the final few games.”
Howe’s potential ‘massive’ Wilson lift can’t come soon enough for Newcastle
Howe’s potential ‘massive’ Wilson lift cannot come soon enough for Newcastle as they bid to remain in the Premier League. While results have picked up for the Magpies during his spell on the sidelines, they will pose a much stronger threat with the £20m star in the side.
Only two of their six wins in 2022 so far came with a two-plus goal margin – a 3-1 win over Everton and 2-0 at Brentford. Watford also punished the Toon by scoring an 88th-minute equaliser in January, while Chelsea hit their winner in the 89th-minute earlier this month.
Everton then followed the Blues by scoring a winning goal in the 99th-minute in United’s last top-flight fixture. Close encounters that Wilson, with his dynamic runs off the last man, would have likely impacted had injury not kept him from the Newcastle line-up for so long.
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