The last thing Eddie Howe wants at Newcastle United is more injuries.

The Magpies have endured an injury ridden 2023/24 campaign, while they have also had to deal with the suspension of Sandro Tonali.

Eddie Howe‘s squad has been stretched beyond belief for most of the campaign, with the Newcastle United boss often being forced to name the same starting XI whilst boasting limited options on the bench.

Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles are both out for the rest of the season with ACL injuries, while it has been decided that Joe Willock will join them on the sidelines. He is not going to feature in Newcastle’s final six games of the season, with Howe opting to rest him and ensure he is fully over his Achilles problem in time for pre-season.

Elsewhere, Nick Pope, Joelinton and Callum Wilson are still out. However, there is hope that they will return before the Premier League season comes to an end.

Newcastle must not lose two players to injury

There are two players who Newcastle cannot afford to lose to injury. The first is Bruno Guimaraes, with Howe always fearful that he is going to breakdown given the volume of games he has had to play.

And the second is Alexander Isak, who has been suffering from a recurring groin injury.

The 24-year-old, who is Newcastle’s most expensive signing ever, has missed 10 games this season, and is currently the Magpies’ only fit striker.

MORE NEWCASTLE STORIES

There is a lot of pressure on Isak to avoid injury and score goals, which he is currently doing with ease. He is enjoying the best season of his career, taking his tally to 21 with his brace against Tottenham at the weekend.

Eddie Howe working to ensure Alexander Isak stays injury free

Meanwhile, Howe has admitted that Newcastle are doing all they can behind the scenes to ensure that the Sweden international does not suffer another injury.

The Toon boss has been speaking to Optus Sport, and was asked if Isak has been doing anything different to stay fit.

“We are working all the time to improve the physical robustness of our players,” he said.

“He has been working really hard with several people here to try and stay fit and stay on the pitch.”

What Isak needs at Newcastle is more cover

Isak has done very well in recent weeks to maintain his fitness. He has been playing at an extremely high level, boasting seven goals in his last six Premier League games. And he has done that without having a backup.

He is Newcastle’s only fit striker right now, and that has been the case for a while. Wilson has been absent since the win over Nottingham Forest, meaning Isak has not had a chance to have a rest.

That is something the club must address this summer. They either need to find a way to ensure Isak and Wilson can both be fit at the same time, or sign a reliable deputy when the transfer window opens.

Given Wilson’s injury record and the rumours that he could leave, the latter feels much more likely.