Jamaal Lascelles is a long-term absentee with an ACL injury while fresh blows have been picked up by Dan Burn (groin) and Sven Botman (knee) since Lloyd Kelly was loaned out to Juventus last week. What was previously an area of strength in Newcastle’s squad is now short of bodies with Fabian Schar the club’s only fit senior centre-back as things stand.

Emil Krafth is capable of playing in a central role though his preferred position is as a right-back. Lascelles is understood to be at least a few weeks away from being back in contention after almost 12 months on the sidelines while Botman’s knee issue picked up against Arsenal isn’t thought to be serious.

However, it was enough to keep him out of Newcastle’s 3-2 win over Birmingham City in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday. During that match, Burn picked up a groin injury that is likely to sideline him in Newcastle’s upcoming match against Manchester City on Saturday (3pm kick-off).

Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe stated that he didn’t know whether Botman or Burn would be back available for the trip to the Etihad Stadium, forcing him to consider his defensive options.

Newcastle won’t recall Kelly from his loan spell as Juventus have an obligation to buy clause that will be triggered in the summer for around £20million.

Eddie Howe set to turn to Newcastle United’s academy?

Last season, Howe turned to the academy during an injury crisis with midfielder Lewis Miley becoming a first team regular. Defender Alex Murphy also made two first-team appearances last season and plays the same position as Botman, Kelly and Burn on the left of the defence.

But the 20-year-old is currently out on loan at Bolton Wanderers and scored his first senior goal since his arrival in England in Bolton’s 4-3 win over Crawley Town on Saturday. Newcastle don’t have a recall option in Murphy’s half-season loan with the League One club.

Newcastle Under-21s captain Cathal Heffernan is another defensive option for Howe to consider calling up to the matchday squad as an emergency backup option to Schar and Krafth. Heffernan joined Newcastle from AC Milan in 2023 and has impressed at youth level but is yet to make a competitive first team appearance for the club.

He has been named in Newcastle’s Under-21s squad list, meaning he would be eligible to represent the club in a Premier League matchday squad.

Newcastle United loan players named in Premier League squad list

Newcastle submitted its Premier League squad list last week. While Kelly was omitted from The Magpies’ senior squad following his loan move to Juventus, all of the club’s young loan players were listed as part of the contracted Under-21s players.

The list included defenders Murphy, Charlie McArthur – who is currently at Carlisle United – and Miodrag Pivas – who is currently at Willem II in the Netherlands. Pivas has been limited to just two substitute appearances in the Eredivisie with his last coming back in October.

The loan move has not gone according to plan for the young Serbian, who joined Newcastle from Jedinstvo Ub last summer as he was initially banned from training at Willem for two weeks after not being able to secure a work permit. It meant Pivas had to return to Serbia and even trained with his former club before receiving approval to join up with Willem II.

But since then he has been largely starved of first-team football, having been an unused substitute in the majority of first-team matches this season. He has also featured twice for Willem’s reserve side.

Despite the tough spell, The Gazette understands Newcastle will not be recalling Pivas from his loan.