Newcastle United summer arrival worth every penny as unseen work pays off

Eddie Howe isn't getting too far ahead of himself as Newcastle United reap the rewards of a notable decrease in their injury issues compared to last season.

The 2023/24 campaign, which saw the Magpies crash out of the Champions League at the group stage and miss out on Europe altogether through the league, was riddled with issues and ailments as Howe struggled to keep the entirety of his squad fit throughout. Newcastle had the third-highest injury rate over the entire season, with only Chelsea and Manchester United suffering more separate problems.

At one point, Howe was without 11 first-team players for a single gameweek, which was the joint-highest of any top flight side last term. This time around, Newcastle are managing their load a lot better - both due to a less hectic schedule and the summer appointment of performance specialist James Bunce.

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"I'm reluctant to give a clear answer to that because you don't want to tempt fate," Howe responded on Friday when asked about enjoying better injury luck this time around. "At the minute we're looking pretty good, still nursing a few injuries bit I think t's a combination of things.

"As I said last season, when we were getting injuries, it wasn't just one thing - if it was it would be easier to fix. Our schedule has definitely played a part in that. We're playing less games, the games are the ones that produce the most fatigue, and we're working smarter.

"James Bunce has came in and had positive impact. Lots of little things that are helping us keep the players on the pitch."

Bunce worked closely with sporting director Paul Mitchell at Monaco and followed the boardroom chief to Tyneside over the summer. The pair are often sat side by side at Newcastle matches as Bunce watches on from the stands on a game day but spends the week on the training pitch close to Howe.

Bunce arrived at St James' Park with a stellar record of reducing issues in injury-prone squads with his off-field analysis and on-pitch techniques. His time in Ligue 1 saw him dramatically boost Monaco's available options at a time where the club were struggling to keep players fit under Philippe Clement.

Speculation was rife Bunce's arrival would add to Howe's pressure as summer rumours swirled over the head coach's relationship with Mitchell and his right-hand man. The Newcastle boss is clearly relishing working closely with the performance director as the north east outfit bid to continue their improvement on the injury front, while the bold appointment looks worth every penny at a time where the Magpies need their best players fit and firing.

Newcastle are expected to welcome Sven Botman back at the turn of the year as precautions are taken to ensure the Dutchman doesn't return from an ACL injury too soon. Callum Wilson is also being handled with care as he works his way back to full fitness after different injury issues.