Newcastle confirm key midfielder is out for two months after surgery

Newcastle have confirmed midfielder Matt Ritchie will be sidelined for around two months after undergoing surgery on a shoulder injury.

The 31-year-old, who landed awkwardly after making a challenge during Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Tottenham, his first Premier League appearance of the season, had an operation to repair the damage in London on Friday.

A statement on the club’s official website said: “Newcastle United’s Matt Ritchie has undergone a successful operation on the injury he suffered in the second half of last weekend’s draw at Tottenham Hotspur.

“The 31-year-old had surgery on his acromioclavicular joint (AC joint) in London on Friday.

“Following the operation, the player is now likely to be sidelined for around two months.”

Ritchie’s injury is similar to that suffered by defender Fabian Schar, who made his return as a substitute at in Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup fourth-round tie at Newport after 11 weeks out of action.

Bruce drops Klopp reference

Newcastle head coach Steve Bruce has called for the time he needs to mould his team after receiving stinging criticism.

The Magpies snatched a fortunate Premier League point a Tottenham last weekend courtesy of a controversial late penalty decision, and then edged past League Two Newport into the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday evening.

However, pointing to the time it took Jurgen Klopp to get Liverpool playing the way he wanted them to, Bruce said: “We all need time. It took a great manager like Jurgen a few years to get what you need.

“Every manager needs time, of course, because nowadays, you can’t just change it overnight. With transfer windows and especially now with what’s gone on in the world, it’s very, very difficult.

“Look, it’s still a work in progress – I know that sounds easy for me to say, but that’s what it is – and we are in the middle of change because I’m trying to change us from a team that plays with a back five and sitting deep into a more-forward thinking back four and playing from there.” Read more…