DANNY Simpson is facing a race to be fit for Newcastle United’s first home game of the Europa League group stage.
The Mancunian strained his hamstring in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Aston Villa, days after fellow right-back Ryan Taylor damaged his cruciate knee ligaments.
The prognosis was better than the Magpies feared, but will still rule their first-choice full-back out of the start of their European campaign proper. “It’s a lot better than I first thought,” Simpson revealed on the club’s official website.
“I have never had a hamstring problem before. I just felt something bad and I knew straight away I would have to come off.
“I will just have to see how it is at the start of next week and take it from there, but hopefully I won’t miss too many games.”
“It is hopefully three weeks, maybe four maximum.
“It depends on each person, their body and how quickly they recover, but it’s a lot better than what we first thought.
“Already I’m walking easier than I was on Sunday, so that’s a good sign.”
Newcastle travel to Everton a week on Monday, then face Maritimo, Norwich City, Manchester United (in the League Cup), and Reading in the next three weeks.
They begin October with home games against Bordeaux, in the Europa League, and the Red Devils once more, this time in the Premier League.
As a former Manchester United player and supporter, they are two matches which will resonate with Simpson, and he is sure to want to be
involved in both. He admits, though, he is unsure how quickly he can recover.
“Injuries are part and parcel of being a footballer, but I’m not used to it – I haven’t had many,” he continued.
“For a long time, I haven’t really had any issues in that area.
“It’s just one of those things, though.
“With there not being a game for two weeks, if there is a time to have a little niggle then it’s probably now.
“I will just have to see how it is at the start of next week and take it from there, but hopefully I won’t miss too many games.”
The injuries to Taylor and Simpson leave United without a specialist senior right-back, although the versatile Vurnon Anita and James Perch can both fill in there. If anything, Davide Santon is more comfortable on the right than the left, but Taylor’s injury means there is no one to take his slot at left-back.
James Tavernier played in Newcastle’s Europa League qualifying tie with Atromitos, but is yet to experience Premier League football.
Anita impressed after moving back from midfield to cover Simpson’s withdrawal against Villa, and is most likely to get the nod at Goodison Park.
One disappointing aspect of Newcastle’s performance against Villa was their set-plays, with Yohan Cabaye’s deliveries seemingly at free-kicks and corners seemingly hitting the first defender more often than not.
It is something Alan Pardew has been giving thought to this week. Newcastle’s manager admits that even when the deliveries are right, they do not really have the personnel to capitalise.
“The set plays were awful (against Villa),” he admitted. “That’s why it was frustrating for a coach. We weren’t hitting the right areas.
“We’re not brilliant from corners. Our record suggests we haven’t got great assets to score from corners. We’re not proficient.”
Generally, though, he is pleased with the progress his side made in the short first phase of the season before the first international break.
“As far as I’m sitting here now, I still feel we’ve had a decent start,” he said. “We’ve had tough games.
“We have to take four points and qualification (for the Europa League group stage) and say okay, we need to up it a gear.”
