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Newcastle United have been handed a small injury boost with Joe Willock’s thigh issue not as bad as first feared.
Willock was forced off after scoring in Newcastle’s Carabao Cup second-round win at Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night with a thigh issue that head coach Eddie Howe said ‘didn’t look good’ as he described it as a ‘huge blow’. The 25-year-old midfielder is set to miss Sunday’s Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur at St James’ Park.
When asked about Willock’s injury ahead of the Spurs match, Howe said: "Joe had a scan [on Thursday], an early scan, it is relatively good news.
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“I don’t think it is a serious injury, but it is early, so we will re-scan again in a few days again to confirm that.” It was a more positive update after Howe initially told The Gazette: “A huge blow for [Willock] and for us. We just hope it's not serious.
“It doesn't look good, he's feeling a pain in his thigh so we'll have to wait and see how serious it is.”
In addition to Willock, Newcastle also have Callum Wilson, Lewis Miley, Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles out injured against Spurs while Fabian Schar will serve the final match of his three-match suspension.
Martin Dubravka is also a doubt with a concussion injury picked up in training that has seen him miss the last two matches. Newcastle have made an unbeaten start to the new season with four point from their opening two Premier League matches against Southampton and AFC Bournemouth before progressing to the third round of the Carabao Cup after beating Forest on penalties.