Newcastle United have been forced to manage another setback in what has already been an exhausting season, after Kieran Trippier confirmed he will be out until around Christmas due to a freak injury picked up in training.
The experienced right-back, one of the most influential figures in Eddie Howe’s squad, revealed that the hamstring issue happened during what should have been a routine moment on the training ground.
Trippier suffered the injury on the day before Newcastle’s impressive 2-1 win over Manchester City at St James’ Park on November 22. While practising a set piece, he suddenly felt something go wrong.
At 35 years old, he has been through enough to know immediately that this was not something he could simply shake off. The injury has since kept him out of five consecutive matches, leaving Newcastle short on options at full-back during one of the most demanding stretches of the campaign.
Speaking in the club’s matchday programme, Trippier opened up about the moment the injury occurred and how he is approaching his recovery. He described it as “unfortunate” and completely out of his control one of those unpredictable things that happens in football no matter how prepared or experienced a player may be.
Despite the frustration, he made it clear that his focus is fully on returning in the right way, not rushing, and respecting the recovery process that will keep him fit for the rest of the season.
Trippier explained that he has dealt with situations like this before and that experience has helped him stay calm and professional. He knows what proper rehabilitation looks like, and while he misses being out on the pitch, he understands that coming back too early would do more harm than good.
His message was simple: he will return as soon as he can, and he plans to come back fully ready to help Newcastle through the second half of the season.
His absence could not have come at a more challenging time. Newcastle are heading into a tough week with a Champions League clash away at Bayer Leverkusen, followed by the first Tyne-Wear derby in the Premier League since 2016. Trippier will miss both fixtures, leaving the team without one of its leaders and most reliable performers.
The timing also comes as Eddie Howe tries to navigate a busy schedule with a squad that has been hit repeatedly by injuries this season.
The biggest issue for Newcastle right now is depth, especially at full-back. Although Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall have recently returned from injury, their comebacks have coincided with Trippier’s and Emil Krafth’s setbacks.
It has created a situation where Newcastle are constantly adjusting, rotating, and reshuffling their defensive line just to get through each match.
Livramento has had to shoulder a heavy workload. After recovering from a six-week knee injury, he has been thrown straight back into the starting lineup and has started every match since.
He has handled the responsibility well, but the minutes are piling up quickly for a young player still adapting to the demands of top-level football.
Dan Burn was asked to play at left-back against Burnley to give Hall a much-needed rest, as the young defender had been suffering from illness in the days leading up to the game.
Every adjustment feels like a balancing act, with Howe trying to protect his players while also managing a relentless schedule.
Howe admitted that both Trippier and Krafth are still weeks away from returning. He said the hope is that they will both be back around the Christmas period, which would provide a huge boost as the club heads into the second half of the season.
That return would also allow Livramento to get some breathing room, as the manager is aware that relying on him to play every match is not a sustainable plan.
Despite the challenges, Howe praised Livramento and Hall for handling the demands placed on them. Both have shown maturity beyond their years, stepping into difficult situations without hesitation.
But even with their strong performances, it is clear that Newcastle are stretched thin, and Trippier’s return cannot come soon enough.
For now, the priority remains making sure he recovers properly. At his age and with his experience, Trippier understands better than most the importance of patience.
And while supporters will miss seeing him on the pitch during some of the biggest games of the season, they can at least take comfort in knowing that he is working hard behind the scenes and expects to be back before the end of the year.
Newcastle will hope that when he returns, he brings not only his quality but his leadership two things the team needs more than ever during this intense and injury-filled campaign.
