In a recent report, The Chronicle mentioned that Newcastle United keeper Martin Dubravka is hoping to return to light training this week. Earlier this month, the Magpies boss Steve Bruce offered an update on the talented keeper’s return from injury and told BBC Newcastle,
“He’s (Dubravka) coming along nicely. Thankfully, the wound that was badly infected has gone. He’s hoping he’ll be back on the grass next week, so that’s a bit of good news.”
Dubravka’s Recent Injury Struggles At St. James’ Park
This recent development will be a welcome bit of news for anyone associated with the Tyneside club as Bruce needs all of his best players available if he wants his side to pick up a few favourable results in the coming months.
Dubravka experienced an injury-plagued season at St. James’ Park recently as he missed a lot of key matches due to multiple injuries. The Slovakia international featured in 14 matches for the Magpies in the previous campaign, conceding 21 goals and securing only three clean sheets across all competitions.
The 32-year-old performed well to average 0.9 clearances and 5.6 long balls per game in the 2020-21 Premier League season. However, he was a bit untidy when distributing the ball from the back after making 70.1% of his attempted passes in league football (stats via whoscored).
Dubravka Hoping To Return To Light Training This Week: Big Boost For Newcastle?
Dubravka can be a solid shot-stopper at the back when he is playing regularly on the pitch. He can use his experience well when he decides to come out of his six-yard box to clear the danger. Standing at 1.91m, Dubravka is a towering presence at the back but there are some real concerns over his long-term health based on his recent injury record.
The 29-time Slovak international is also a decent handler of the ball and can get a lot of distance with his goal-kicks. At the moment, Bruce can benefit a lot from having Dubravka back as he is good enough to push Karl Darlow and Freddie Woodman for a regular starting spot at St. James’ Park in the remainder of this campaign.
At 32, the Slovak custodian would believe that he has still got plenty left to offer at the Tyneside club, so getting him back to training will be a massive boost for the Magpies as they look to get some wins on the board over the next few months.
