We will be looking to end the season on a high against Fulham come Sunday, but Rafa Benitez will have to organise his Magpies without DeAndre Yedlin.
Our regular right-back has confirmed via his Instagram that he underwent successful surgery earlier this week, having pulled up with a groin problem ahead of last weekend’s defeat at home to Liverpool.
Like against the Merseyside outfit, Javier Manquillo will likely step in to fill our full-back slot at Craven Cottage, in what will be his 22nd game of the term and 45th since joining the Toon.
It is currently unclear as to how long Yedlin will be forced to sit out after going under the knife, but with our season about to end, it would be unlikely that the 25-year-old will miss more than our trip to London.
Internationally, however, Yedlin would have been hoping to avoid ending the domestic campaign on the sidelines, as the United States are set to face Guyana in the CONCACAF Gold Cup on June 16, before facing Trinidad and Tobago on June 23, and Panama on June 27.
Like at St James’ Park, Yedlin is a regular for his country and captained the USA for the first time when they drew 1-1 with Chile in March, but the 57-cap ace is not nailed on for a starting spot under Gregg Berhalter even when fit.
Yedlin also missed the entire Gold Cup back in 2017, when he was not selected for the squad in any of the USA’s six cup ties on route to winning the competition.