Chelsea and Tottenham's top six rivals hit by 'eight-week injury blow' after training ground setback

Newcastle United have suffered a training session injury blow as they bid to make a run at Europe again this season. The Magpies finished seventh last season and were set to qualify for the Conference League only for Manchester United to win the FA Cup and knock them out of European competition.

With Eddie Howe been handed plenty to spend over recent years, there are clear expectations for them to regularly qualify for Europe, and it is a must if the Magpies want to spend themselves to top four contention due to Profit and Sustainability rules. Big profits come with European competition, and it’s very tough for teams to balance spending and stay within the limits without European football.

But finishing inside the top seven, and particularly between fourth and sixth, will be a tough challenge amid the presence of Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester United and Aston Villa, who are the likely candidates to finish in those positions. Newcastle have managed to pick up seven points from their first three games, representing a strong start, recently welcoming back Sandro Tonali after his long gambling suspension.

In the meantime, Newcastle have been handed an injury blow with Garang Kuol being ruled out for at least eight weeks with a grade three tear in his quadricep, according to The Athletic. Kuol is yet to make a senior appearance for the Magpies after his move from Central Coast Mariners in 2023, though he did feature in a friendly during the summer, suggesting Howe may want to give him a chance.

Kuol has already had loan spells with Hearts and Volendam, making 23 league appearances across those loan stints. He is now set for a spell on the sidelines, with Newcastle preparing to face Wolves and Fulham in back-to-back away games. At 19 years of age, Kuol did not need to be named in the club’s 25-man Premier League squad and is eligible to play.