Slovakia head coach Pavel Havel has confirmed that Martin Dubravka has suffered an ankle injury that will keep the Newcastle United goalkeeper out for "six to eight weeks".
Speaking ahead of Slovakia's Nations League fixtures against Czech Republic and Israel, Havel said, "He (Dubravka) has problems with his ankle, he dropped out for six to eight weeks. I believe he will be fine for the next matches, (Octobers Nations League games).
This injury means Dubravka, Newcastle's player of the season, will miss the start of the new Premier League campaign, opening the door for Karl Darlow or Mark Gillespie to get a run in the first team.
Chance to impress
Darlow last played for Newcastle in last season's FA Cup quarter-final loss to Manchester City, while Gillespie was signed on a free this summer after his contract with Motherwell expired.
Dubravka hasn't missed a Premier League game for Newcastle since he signed in January 2018, with his run of 88 consecutive league starts now coming to an end through injury.
Newcastle also face the prospect of Dwight Gayle being sidelined for the foreseeable future, with Sky Sport's Keith Downie reporting that Gayle is "facing months out following a scan on his knee".
Gayle's injury will be a real kick in the teeth for both himself and Newcastle, after overcoming a long term injury last season, to score four goals in the last eight games of project restart.
Injuries to force Newcastle's hand
With Joelinton and Yoshinori Muto's unexplained absences from Newcastle's pre-season training camp in York, combined with Gayle's injury, this leaves Andy Carroll the only fit first-team striker at the club. While Carroll had a solid, but goalless 2019/20, he is extremely injury prone, and any injury to him would leave Steve Bruce without any striking options
The injury to Gayle should prompt Newcastle into the transfer market, with the Daily Mail reporting that United are actively trying to sell Muto, this leaves Carroll and Joelinton as Newcastle's only strikers, a partnership that notched two Premier League goals last season.
Gayle picked up his injury in the first half of Newcastle's first pre-season friendly against Crewe Alexandra. United ran out 3-0 winners in the end, with goals coming from Carroll, Christian Atsu and Federico Fernandez.
