Newcastle: Livramento injury leaves Howe’s squad ‘really stretched’

admits coach Eddie Howe Newcastle UnitedThe team’s defensive options look weak after Tino Livramento was ruled out for up to two months due to a hamstring injury.

The defender came off during his team’s dramatic penalty shootout win over Bournemouth in the FA Cup on Saturday.

Livramento returned from a knee injury earlier this month, and Howe said he was “absolutely devastated for him because he worked so hard to come back.”

The 23-year-old, who has three England caps, faces a race against time to prove his fitness ahead of international matches against Japan and Uruguay in March.

The setback leaves Newcastle bereft of defensive options with Dan Byrne, Fabian Schar and Emil Krafth already out.

“We’re really tired defensively,” Howe said after his side’s 2-0 defeat in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Manchester City.

“We are pinning our hopes on Dan’s return very soon.

“This would give us a huge boost and, of course, the transfer market is still open to us.”

Byrne suffered a broken rib and a punctured lung during the derby match against Sunderland, but he may return before the end of the month.

Howe also has the option of recalling left-back Matt Targett, who is on loan at Middlesbrough, while there are still two-and-a-half weeks left for the club to recruit in the transfer window.

Newcastle have money to spend, if necessary, but any mid-season moves will have an impact on what the club can do this summer when there are better options available and greater value on the market.

Howe publicly questioned whether it would be possible to get “the right player” in the mid-season window.

But Malik Thiaw, Sven Botman, Lewis Holl, Kieran Trippier and midfielder Louis Maile, who has played expertly at right-back, are his only defensive options ahead of Sunday’s trip to Wolves.

Newcastle then face Eindhoven, Aston Villa (twice), Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Manchester City, Brentford and Tottenham over the course of 24 days.