Newcastle may be handed 'late' injury blow before Villa as Lee Ryder drops news on 'key' player

Newcastle United right-back Kieran Trippier could miss this afternoon’s clash with Aston Villa with a calf problem, according to Lee Ryder.

Trippier arrived at St James’ Park last month from Atletico Madrid in a deal worth £12m.

Since then, the 31-year-old has made three Premier League appearances, scoring his first goal for the club in a 3-1 win over Everton on Tuesday.

He is yet to suffer defeat as a Newcastle player in the top flight, but he may be forced to sit it out against Aston Villa today after going off late on against the Toffees.

Ryder, Newcastle’s chief writer for The Chronicle, took to Twitter on Friday to relay news from Eddie Howe’s press conference.

When it came to Trippier, the journalist posted that the defender is facing a ‘late’ fitness test to see whether or not he can feature against Steven Gerrard’s side.

Of course, Trippier should only start if he is fully fit, with Howe labelling him as ‘key’ to the club’s upturn in form in recent weeks.

He has been the club’s best-rated Premier League performer since arriving on Tyneside (as per WhoScored), with an outstanding average match rating of 7.88/10.

No Magpies player has won more tackles, made more interceptions or completed more passes per 90 than Trippier, so hopefully he will pass a late fitness test over the coming hours.

In other news: NUFC in talks for £20.7m-rated colossus; had best aerial success rate in Europe

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