Newcastle United’s midseason “training camp” in Spain is going on without its starting striker.
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Aleksandar Mitrovic, the $20 million signing who’s been in plenty of finishing positions but only scored five goals, is set for some time on the sidelines after suffering a knee ligament injury.
“We’re only bringing players here who can actually train over the next four days, and play in the game on Saturday.
“Mitro has a medial ligament injury, so it could be a couple of weeks – we’re hoping not too long.”
Fortunately for Newcastle they spent big on attackers in January and have some options in formation for the pivotal stretch run, which includes a March run of Stoke City, Bournemouth, Leicester City and Sunderland.
Seydou Doumbia isn’t like-for-like but can play alone up-top, and Ayoze Perez has done that in a pinch as well. New signing Andros Townsend has been a bright spot on the wing.
Whatever the McClaren has to do, at least he has plenty of time to organize it, and can try things out in a Saturday friendly against Lillestrom; Newcastle is out of the FA Cup and won’t play a meaningful game until March 2 after next weekend’s match against Man City was rescheduled due to the League Cup final.