Kieran Trippier, 34, made his comeback last week after a seven-week layoff due to a hamstring injury. He featured briefly as a substitute in Newcastle’s 2-0 loss to West Ham, but was not included in the squad for the 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace. For the home game against Liverpool, Trippier was completely absent, with Matt Targett stepping in at right-back. Eddie Howe, the club’s manager, confirmed that Trippier was sidelined due to illness.
With Newcastle’s next fixture against Brentford on Saturday, the quick turnaround leaves Trippier’s participation in doubt. Howe had previously spoken about the importance of Trippier to his squad, acknowledging the right-back’s significant contributions since joining from Atletico Madrid in January 2022. Over his first two full seasons, Trippier consistently recorded double-figure assists, though his playing time has decreased recently, with just five starts across all competitions since February.
Howe stressed how crucial Trippier has been, particularly during the team’s Champions League campaign, where much of Newcastle’s offensive play came down the right side. “Kieran has been key to our attacking play, creating numerous chances and goals,” Howe said. “His attacking presence and range have been missed, and while he’s still regaining his full match sharpness, he is getting closer to peak fitness. We’re hopeful the hamstring issue is now behind him.”
