Newcastle United may be 'losing patience' with Allan Saint-Maximin after injury update - pundit
Paul Robinson has suggested Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe may be losing patience with Allan Saint-Maximin.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Spurs and England number one said the 25-year-old "looks like a player who has to be 100 per cent fit to play."
Saint-Maximin was a late substitute in Newcastle's 2-0 win over Leicester City in the League Cup on Tuesday (10 January).
The winger has not started a Premier League game for the Magpies since August.
Speaking to club media (13 January), Eddie Howe said the Frenchman is "fine" ahead of the visit of Fulham on Sunday.
When asked by Football Insider if Howe may be losing patience with Saint-Maximin and his fitness struggles, Robinson said: "Maybe so.
"Saint-Maximin looks to me like a player who has to be 100 per cent fit to play. He cannot play with a niggle.
"It is always difficult to question a players injury-record without knowing the full details but he has been injured an awful lot.
"Only the player knows how he is but certain players play through slight injuries. Others have to be 100 per cent fit just to train.
"I wonder if that is the problem with Saint-Maximin looking from the outside in. His injury-record certainly backs up that idea.
"He's an exceptional player but he's not available enough at the moment. They cannot rely on him."