Newcastle don’t blame Cattermole for Colback injury

Mark Holmes
Jack Colback: Injured during Newcastle United's defeat at Sunderland

Jack Colback: Injured during Newcastle United's defeat at Sunderland

Newcastle United fear Jack Colback might not play again this year, but Paul Simpson does not blame Sunderland midfielder Lee Cattermole for the injury.

Colback left the Stadium of Light on crutches on Sunday, with his knee in a brace, after a challenge by Cattermole forced him to limp off during the second half of Newcastle’s 3-0 defeat.

The Magpies are concerned the midfielder is facing months, rather than weeks, on the sidelines, but assistant manager Paul Simpson does not hold Cattermole responsible.

“Jack Colback is seeing specialists this week,” Simpson said in the Sunderland Echo. “He left the stadium on crutches and with a knee brace on.

“To be honest, that is more of a precautionary measure, we don’t know the full extent of the damage.

“He has had one scan and has a second (scan) later in the week, just to assess the scan and find out exactly what the damage is.

“He (Colback) was obviously very sore when it happened, but I have to say I didn’t think it was a bad challenge.

“I don’t lay any blame on Cattermole for the challenge. It was one of those wholehearted tackles that you see in derby games, that we all want to see.

“It’s just unfortunate that Jack took the brunt of it, the way his standing leg was, taking the full force of it.”

Discuss this on the new-look Your Say forums.