Insider: Allan Saint-Maximin tipped to explode after ‘massive’ Newcastle United reveal
Allan Saint-Maximin will be ready to come back fit and firing when Newcastle United resume their Premier League campaign.
That is the view of medical expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in injury and data analysis, speaking exclusively to Football Insider.
Saint-Maximin has not started a Premier League game since August after he suffered a hamstring injury.
He overcame a knock to come off the bench in Newcastle’s Carabao Cup 1-0 victory over Bournemouth on Tuesday (20 December).
Eddie Howe told club media on Friday (23 December) that the 25-year-old has a “massive” role to play going into the second part of the campaign.
“That was a hamstring-related issue,” Dinnery told Football Insider‘s Connor Whitley.
“It was initially picked up away at Wolves when Newcastle drew 1-1 and he scored. He made a late burst or a long trackback and pulled his hamstring.
“He suffered a bit of a reaction that delayed his return. The team was performing really well, scoring lots of goals and winning lots of games so it’s difficult to force your way back into the starting XI.
“This mid-season break has afforded Saint-Maximin the opportunity to get the work into his legs on the training pitches.
“With the knock he picked up against Rayo Vallecano, he’s the type of player with the way he plays the game who invites those challenges and is going to pick up those knocks. He takes a bit of a kicking from defenders and for some, it’s the only way to stop him.
“It was reported initially as being a painful bang but he was included against Bournemouth.
“He’ll be used to that and will dust himself down. It’s great to see Saint-Maximin back and pushing for a start in that XI where there is a lot of competition for places, particularly in that attacking third.”
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