Yedlin’s injury update provides lucky escape for Newcastle board

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DeAndre Yedlin was forced off with a knee injury during Newcastle’s opening Premier League match against Tottenham. However, the club have now confirmed that it isn’t serious and he is likely to resume training with his team-mates imminently.

The injury was concerning when viewed at full speed and a number of analysts speculated that the American could be facing a long spell on the sidelines. That would have been disastrous for Newcastle as he has emerged as the club’s first-choice right-back over the last 12 months. The only other options in the squad are an unconvincing Javier Manquillo and an inexperienced Jamie Sterry.

Rafa Benitez campaigned for investment during the summer transfer window, but the club refused to give him a fair budget based on their revenue. This has left the manager frustrated as a number of areas within the squad haven’t been strengthened and he is now short on quality and depth.

One of the areas that he has been left short in is full-back cover. There is no doubting that Yedlin and Paul Dummett have developed into good Premier League players since Benitez took over as manager. However, there is a lack of competition for them and one major injury could spell major problems for Newcastle.

The board were nearly punished during the first match of the season and there would have been little sympathy towards Mike Ashley if Yedlin’s injury was more serious. His continual lack of investment has made the club over-reliant on certain individuals.

Although there remain doubts over the squad depth, it is fantastic news for Newcastle that Yedlin is going to be back on the pitch in the very near future. He has developed a lot under Benitez and he could be set for a breakthrough year at full-back.

As an attacking threat, he has a key role to play at St James’ Park as he often races down the line to offer a passing option on the overlap. His pace is a dangerous weapon that Newcastle often try to utilise on the counter-attack. Although Yedlin’s end product is inconsistent, he is an important player for the Magpies in attack.

In addition to offering an outlet in the attacking half, Yedlin’s pace is great for the defence, as he can use it to recover from a mistake. This has been seen countless times since Newcastle’s return to the Premier League and it provides balance to the back four.

The USA international will be delighted that he won’t be missing a significant portion of the season, but this scare should serve as a reminder to the board. Benitez needs strength in depth, otherwise, he is one injury away from a crisis.