‘Look at Liverpool’: BBC pundit tries to explain Newcastle United situation

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Micah Richards has pointed out Newcastle United’s injury problems and has made a comparison with Liverpool on BBC Radio 5 Live.

The former Manchester City right-back has said that one of the reasons why Newcastle are struggling is the injuries they have had.

Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin are injured at the moment, while Miguel Almiron has recently returned from a spell on the sidelines.

Richards, who played under Newcastle manager Steve Bruce at Aston Villa and now works as a pundit for BBC Sport, has pointed out that even Liverpool have struggled without some of their best players.

Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip are long-term injury concerns, leading to midfielder Fabinho and Jordan Henderson playing at the back.

Henderson is actually on the sidelines at the moment, while Fabinho, Thiago, Diogo Jota and Naby Keita have also been out this season.

Richards said on BBC Radio 5 Live, as transcribed by The Chronicle: “Saint-Maximin, Wilson and Almiron – look at Liverpool this season without Van Dijk. They’ve had to put central midfielders at the back and if Van Dijk was there, that wouldn’t have happened.

“Newcastle have not got the same calibre of player as Liverpool, so when you’re talking about ‘it’s damaging’, it’s more than damaging, it’s horrendous for a team that’s in that position.

“I’m not making excuses for Steve Bruce, I’m not at all, but I’m saying that if they had been fit for more games, then it would be a more accurate assessment of where Newcastle would be right now.”

Does Micah Richards have a point?

Richards does make a good point. Wilson, Saint-Maximin and Almiron are key players in attack, and Newcastle have struggled without them.

However, managers should be prepared for injuries and should know how to cope with them.

The Magpies have not played well at all this season, and Bruce has to take part of the blame for not getting things right, with the team are in real danger of going down to the Championship at the end of the season.