Football FanCast
·16 September 2021
Football FanCast
·16 September 2021
Newcastle United have been handed a major boost regarding the fitness of Karl Darlow ahead of their upcoming Premier League fixture.
That’s according to a report by the Mirror (via The Shields Gazette), who claim that, following a long battle with illness, the Magpies goalkeeper looks set to return to Steve Bruce’s starting XI for the visit of Leeds United on Friday evening.
The report continues to state that the 30-year-old returned to training over the September international break, and looks set to take the place of Freddie Woodman between the Newcastle United sticks.
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Considering just how poor Woodman has been for Newcastle so far this season, the fact that Darlow looks set to finally make a return to Steve Bruce’s starting XI is sure to have the 60-year-old manager buzzing.
Indeed, over his four Premier League appearances this term, the 24-year-old Woodman has shipped 12 goals – an average of three a game – made one error leading to a goal and has averaged 2.5 saves per match.
These returns have seen the £9m-rated shot-stopper average a highly disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.03, ranking him as the Magpies’ second-worst performer in the top flight of English football.
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As such, the return of a player who earned a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.92 over his 25 Premier League appearances last season in the shape of Darlow is sure to provide Bruce’s chances of securing a positive result against Marcelo Bielsa’s side on Friday evening with a significant boost, as well as being something that is sure to delight the St. James’ Park faithful.
In other news: Sold for peanuts, now worth £16.2m: Ashley had a ‘mare on “special” £17k-p/w NUFC ace