Injury expert: Fernandez could undergo ‘surgery’ and miss ‘four months’ at Newcastle
Newcastle United defender Federico Fernandez could be out of action for up to four months.
That is the view of injury expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in medicine and data analysis.
Fernandez, 32, has been unavailable for Newcastle’s last two matches after suffering a quadriceps injury.
As quoted by Chronicle Live last Sunday (19 December), Magpies boss Eddie Howe revealed: “We don’t expect him back for the foreseeable future.”
He is one of six players currently sidelined at St James’ Park either through illness or suspension.
And Dinnery predicts that it could be April before the 32-year-old centre-back is available for selection once more.
“We’re not sure of the mechanism of injury for Fernandez,” he told Football Insider‘s Adam Williams.
“Sometimes it can occur through that kicking motion. But we’re speculating on that at the moment.
“In terms of his return-to-play timeline, we don’t have any real clarity. We’re looking at a grade two or perhaps even grade three injury.
“A grade three rupture would mean 75 per cent of his muscle fibres are damaged.
“There would then be a recommendation for surgery, and that could put a player out for around three or four months.”
Fernandez has featured seven times in the league this season but only two of those appearances have come under Eddie Howe.
His struggling Newcastle side are 19th in the league table after 18 matches this term.
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