'We haven't seen him' - Nick Woltemade a major doubt for Newcastle's clash with Man Utd due to sickness bug as Eddie Howe faces selection crisis

Newcastle have been dealt a massive blow ahead of Wednesday’s visit from Man United, with Howe confirming that a sickness bug has hit the first-team squad. The timing could not be worse for the Magpies, who are desperate to bounce back from a disappointing 3-2 home defeat to Everton last weekend. The illness has significantly disrupted training schedules and left the coaching staff sweating over the availability of several key figures.

The primary concern centres on marquee summer signing Woltemade. The German forward, who arrived at St James' Park from Stuttgart in a high-profile £69 million move, has been unable to participate in first-team preparations for several days. While some members of the squad appear to have shaken off the mystery ailment quickly, Woltemade’s condition remains precarious as the medical team monitors his recovery ahead of the showdown with Michael Carrick's United side.

Howe admitted during his pre-match press conference that the striker's absence from the training ground is a growing worry. The manager noted that the bug first surfaced during the Everton match, where Jacob Ramsey was forced off at the interval. While Ramsey has since returned to the grass, Woltemade still shows no signs of 100 percent recovery.

The viral outbreak is the latest hurdle in what is becoming a genuine selection crisis for Eddie Howe. Newcastle are already navigating a treacherous period without several core senior stars, including club captain Bruno Guimaraes. The lack of leadership and physical presence in the team's midfield has been evident in recent weeks, contributing to a poor run of form that has seen the club drop to 13th in the Premier League table.

Beyond the sickness concerns, the Magpies are definitely without Lewis Miley, Emile Krafth, and Fabian Schar. There had been hope that Tino Livramento might make a timely return to bolster the defense, but the full-back remains highly doubtful for the midweek fixture. Howe indicated that while the defender’s rehabilitation is progressing well, the quick turnaround from Saturday's fixture makes a competitive return on Wednesday unlikely.

"Jacob [Ramsey] was in yesterday, trained fine, so a quick recovery from him," said Howe. "There’s obviously something, an illness, potentially there in the squad, because Nick Woltemade‘s gone down ill and we haven’t seen him for a couple of days. Let’s see, we’ll give him every chance."

The Newcastle boss expressed his frustration at the unpredictability of the current situation, specifically regarding the return date of Livramento. "I think possibly [it's too soon for Livramento]. I think he’s getting closer and closer," he added. "I know I’ve asked a lot about him and I understand why because I do the same to the medical team. It’s like a chain that goes down, we’re desperate for him to be back available, but it has to be at the right time.

"Every injury situation is not always as simple as you give a return date and the player comes back. There’s always little things that can happen either way. I think he’s slightly ahead of the schedule initially given, but yeah, he’s in the last little bits of his rehab now."

Newcastle host United on Wednesday, March 4, with kick-off scheduled for 20:00 GMT. The medical staff will conduct final evaluations on Woltemade and other affected players on the morning of the match. Should the German forward be ruled out, Howe may be forced into a tactical reshuffle, potentially utilizing a false-nine system or leaning on a less experienced frontline to lead the attack.

Following that fixture, the Magpies are scheduled to face a series of tough matches, including against Man City in the FA Cup, Barcelona in the Champions League and Chelsea in the Premier League.