Newcastle United: Lewis Miley suffers metatarsal injury blow

Newcastle’s miserable injury luck from last season has carried over into the summer, with Miley having suffered the injury while turning innocuously during a running drill at the start of this week.

The 18-year-old midfielder is set to be sidelined for around three months, meaning he will miss the whole of the Magpies’ pre-season programme, including the long-haul trip to Japan.

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He will still be recovering when the Premier League season begins in mid-August, but should be available by the end of September or start of October, meaning he should only miss around six league matches.

The injury is nevertheless a considerable blow, with Miley set to miss the pre-season training drills that are so important in terms of establishing a general level of fitness for the remainder of the campaign.

Miley struggled with injuries last season, suffering a back problem while he was away with England’s Elite League Squad during March’s international break.

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He did not feature at all in the final two months of the season, and Eddie Howe had been hoping to build his match sharpness back up during pre-season.

That will not now happen, with his absence especially untimely given that his fellow midfielder, Elliot Anderson, has just left to join Nottingham Forest.

Newcastle’s players are set to return for the start of pre-season training next week, with their opening friendly taking them to Championship side Hull City on July 27.