Alan Shearer believes Callum Wilson’s injury setback is a crushing blow for Newcastle in their bid to avoid Premier League relegation.
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, the Magpies’ legendary number nine discussed the man who currently wears the iconic shirt.
Wilson - Newcastle’s top goalscorer this season with six strikes - hobbled off with a torn calf against Man Utd in December and has been sidelined ever since.
Eddie Howe confirmed Toon fans' worst fears when he revealed that the striker could be out until ‘the final few games of the season’ ahead of Tuesday’s 3-1 triumph over Everton.
Shearer, who also suffered several crushing injuries throughout his career, acknowledged the significance of losing Wilson but is not surprised to see the 29-year-old on the treatment table again.
“He was Newcastle's goalscorer, so to lose him for any period of time is a blow,” he said.
“However, I think with Callum's career, at some stage of the season, you're going to lose him for at least a quarter of it anyway.
“That's what's happened right throughout his career. It's probably no surprise that he has picked up an injury because that's what his body is like.
“But he's the one player in the Newcastle team that can get a scruffy goal from two yards out, he can sniff that opportunity where to be so there's no doubt it's a big blow for Newcastle having him out injured.”
Shearer was happy to see his former club reinforce their backline with the arrival of Dan Burn and Matt Targett on deadline day.
“They've got the second-worst defence in the league so it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out where Newcastle needed to strengthen,” he added.
“You don't have to be a football expert to work that out with the way they're conceding.”
Mike Ashley famously snubbed Shearer following the Magpies’ relegation to the Championship in 2009.
Shearer pitched a blueprint to the Sports Direct tycoon the following summer with the hope of leading his boyhood club back into the top flight at the first time of asking.
However, a response from Ashley never came…
Newcastle’s all-time leading goalscorer blames his former boss for the mess that the club is in but believes they have a major strength over their relegation rivals.
“They're in a situation because of a lack of investment over the last 14 years,” he said.
“Eddie was brought in to try and keep Newcastle up.
“He wasn't brought in to take them down, he was brought in to help keep Newcastle up and they've spent.
“I'm pretty sure that if you go and ask Burnley, Norwich or Watford if they can have that money then they would snap your hands off for it.”
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