Four more players now unlikely to face Hull City on Saturday - One has only just arrived at Newcastle
Newcastle United get their match fitness work underway on Saturday with a friendly against Hull City at the MKM Stadium.
The Magpies took part in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Burnley on Wednesday evening, but get their pre-season games underway properly on Saturday with the trip to Hull.
And just as if it were still last season, Newcastle go into this game with a hefty list of absentees.
Jamaal Lascelles, Sven Botman, Matt Targett Lewis Miley and Callum Wilson are all casualties that were are aware of, while there are several others carrying knocks who won't be risked on Saturday.
Newcastle have nine players potentially out injured for Saturday
The Chronicle is reporting that four more players are being treated with kid gloves as they come back from injury.
Lloyd Kelly, having just signed this summer is one who Eddie Howe is not 100% confident in just yet, in terms of his fitness. He didn't play any part in the friendly out in Germany and looks set to miss out against Hull as Howe takes a cautious approach.
Tino Livramento, Sean Longstaff and Joe Willock are all still carrying knocks from last season too and will receive the same cautious treatment as Kelly.
We definitely prefer the cautious approach than running them into the ground
Let's be honest, we'd all prefer they sat these games out if they're not 100% rather than risk their fitness going forward by trying to get some match sharpness back too early.
Mr James Bunce needs to get a move on with this magic plan of his to fix all these problems because my blood pressure can't handle another season like the last one with all the injuries.
We'll be interested to see what kind of side Eddie Howe puts out against Hull. One thing's for certain, it'll be far from anything resembling full strength.
