Newcastle have been considering surgery for 24-year-old for last month - journalist

Newcastle United's win at Fulham on Saturday came with at all-too-familiar price for Eddie Howe.

It's that word again ... injuries. Martin Dubravka looked uncomfortable a couple of times in the first half and there was a genuine concern that Howe may have to switch goalkeepers during the break.

The Toonminator, Fabian Schar looked down and out at one point, with Howe even having a replacement stripped and ready to come on before Schar regenerated and saw out the rest of the game.

However, one man who wasn't so fortunate was 24-year-old Joe Willock who has had a season plagued by injury.

Willock has struggled all season with injuries

Willock ended last season with a bad hamstring injury that kept him out of pre-season, then during his rehabilitation, he picked up an achilles injury that saw him sidelined for even longer.

The £25million former Arsenal man has been struggling since his return, rarely hitting the heights we all know he's capable of, and then in the game against Fulham on Saturday, he went to ground, immediately signalling to the bench that he needed to come off.

We still don't know the full extent of the injury, but Eddie Howe admitted after the game that Willock 'never looked right', and given the injury problems he's faced this season, we're not expecting any good news.

Newcastle had been considering sending Willock for surgery

In fact, journalist, Joel Bland revealed on X that Newcastle and Willock had been considering surgery for the last month.

Now it just seems like the right thing to do. Whether this injury is related or not, it's the perfect time to send him for the operation if he's not going to be playing anyway.

Elliot Anderson is back in the side and looking as good as ever anyway, so at least Eddie Howe has cover. It's just again, we're reduced to having a bench made up of goalkeepers and kids to see the season out.