Newcastle injury news: Latest Tino Livramento, Lewis Hall update from Eddie Howe before Chelsea clash

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has provided the latest update on the fitness of Tino Livramento ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Chelsea at St James’ Park.

Livramento was handed his eighth consecutive start for the Magpies in Wednesday’s 2-1 EFL Cup quarter-final win at home to Fulham, having previously spent a couple of months on the sidelines with a knee ligament injury.

However, the 23-year-old was forced off in the final 15 minutes at St James' Park and walked around the pitch at full time with an ice pack around his left knee.

Howe admitted after the match that the defender’s need to be withdrawn was “worrying”, telling reporters: “It looks like a knee problem and Tino’s had issues with knee injuries before.

“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.”

Prior to joining Newcastle, Livramento was sidelined for nearly a year when he sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury - also to his left knee - in April 2022 while playing for former club Southampton.

Livramento set to miss rest of the year with knee injury

Howe has since confirmed that Livramento will miss Newcastle’s clash with Chelsea on Saturday lunchtime and while the issue is not thought to be serious, he is not expected to return before the end of the year.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Howe said: "We don't think it's a serious injury. The complication we have is that Tino has injured that knee before in a very similar area.

"That always makes the potential recovery time a little bit longer. I don't think we'll see him possibly before 2026."

In the absence of Livramento and fellow right-back Kieran Trippier (hamstring), academy graduate Lewis Miley could continue in a makeshift defensive role this weekend after scoring a stoppage-time winner against Fulham.

"Lewy did really well on Wednesday. Really pleased with him,” said Howe. “Great goal, great composure and a strong performance. Every game is so different tactically, the challenges posed by every team is different, so I'll have to try to pick the right team."

Hall could face former club Chelsea after positive Howe update

Meanwhile, Howe has provided a positive update on the fitness of former Chelsea defender Lewis Hall, who missed the midweek win over Fulham with a minor hamstring problem.

"[Lewis] could be [available for tomorrow],” Howe confirmed. “He felt some fatigue in his hamstring after the Sunderland game so he had a scan which didn't reveal too much so we'll see."

Elsewhere on the injury front, defender Dan Burn is ruled out for up to six weeks after fracturing his rib and damaging his lung following a heavy collision in Newcastle’s 1-0 defeat to rivals Sunderland last weekend.

Goalkeeper Nick Pope (groin) is targeting a return before the end of the year, while Sven Botman (back), William Osula (ankle) and Emil Krafth (knee) all remain in the treatment room.

Newcastle currently sit 12th in the Premier League table and victory on Saturday would see them move to within three points of opponents Chelsea in fourth spot.