Newcastle Faces Major Blow Ahead of Cup Final with Lewis Hall’s Injury

NEWCASTLE, England — Newcastle United‘s hopes for a strong finish this season have suffered a serious setback with news that left-back Lewis Hall has been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign due to injury. This comes just days before the team is scheduled to compete in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool on March 10.

Former Newcastle defender John Anderson shared his thoughts on BBC Radio Newcastle, stating, “These injuries couldn’t have come at a worse time for them individually and for the club. With just a handful of league games left and a cup final approaching, being without your best players is a significant loss.”

Head coach Eddie Howe echoed Anderson’s sentiments, saying, “Lewis took the news quite emotionally — as you would expect, because he, like every player here, has given everything to be in a position to win a trophy for this football club.”

Hall’s absence adds to Howe’s challenges as they prepare to face a West Ham team that seeks to complete a Premier League double over Newcastle for the first time since the 2018-19 season. The Hammers recently defeated Newcastle 2-0 at St. James’ Park.

Despite recent struggles, including losing three of their last four league matches, the Magpies are determined to turn their fortunes around as they aim to finish in the top five. Howe clarified, “We are excited about Sunday, but we know how important it is to get our Premier League form back to what it was like before Christmas.”

In addition to Hall’s injury, Newcastle forward Anthony Gordon will miss the match due to suspension following a red card in a previous game against Brighton. This further complicates Howe’s options ahead of critical fixtures.

West Ham’s head coach, Graham Potter, believes his team is improving, having secured back-to-back victories against Arsenal and Leicester City. On the task before them, Potter stated, “You need to be stable at the back and keep clean sheets if you can. We had to find the right balance between defense and attack. Clean sheets in this league are so helpful because they guarantee you something.”

In a twist of events, Newcastle’s manager is left with a selection dilemma as he prepares for Monday night’s Premier League clash against West Ham. He faces questions about the fitness of forward Alexander Isak and the overall readiness of his squad, especially considering the looming cup final.

Meanwhile, former Newcastle co-owner Amanda Staveley expressed her excitement for the Carabao Cup final, indicating she will attend the match at Wembley and hoping to speak with Howe and the players beforehand. “I’m really proud of the whole team,” Staveley mentioned.

This critical period poses a test for both clubs, as West Ham seeks to climb the league rankings while Newcastle aims to end a lengthy wait for silverware, which has lingered since their last major trophy win in 1969.