Newcastle defender Livramento to miss England games

Tino Livramento has made 88 appearances for Newcastle United since joining from Southampton in 2023

Newcastle United defender Tino Livramento is set to be out for between six and eight weeks after suffering a knee injury in Sunday's defeat by Arsenal.

The full-back will miss England's internationals against Wales on 9 October and Latvia on 14 October, as well as the World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania next month.

Livramento was stretchered off the field after landing awkwardly in his side's 2-1 defeat at St James' Park.

The 22-year-old previously suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury during his time at Southampton, in 2022, and Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe said it was "really distressing" to see him carried off.

It is understood the injury is not as bad as first feared but Newcastle, as a result, are a little light at left-back, where Livramento has played the majority of his football this season.

"He's such a big player for us in so many different ways - his versatility, his attitude, his quality," Howe previously said.

"If we're going to miss that for any length of time, it is going to be a huge blow."

Newcastle do have Dan Burn, who has previously played at left-back for the club.

They can also turn to Lewis Hall, who missed the Arsenal game through fatigue.

Hall made back-to-back starts last month in the games against Bournemouth and Bradford City after putting a foot issue behind him.

Analysis: Livramento has bounced back before

This has been a season where Howe has had to rotate his side while fighting on multiple fronts.

But it is rather telling that Livramento has been close to an ever-present. In fact, no other player has played more minutes (646) for Newcastle in the opening weeks of the campaign.

Such has been the consistency of Livramento's performances, whether it is at left-back or right-back, it has got to the stage where it is difficult to tell which is his natural side.

No wonder England manager Thomas Tuchel is an admirer.

The final international windows of the year felt like a chance for Livramento to really stake his claim for a starting place for his country, but Livramento has bounced back from setbacks before.

The words "beauty in the struggle" are tattooed on his right forearm, which sum up his journey, after he recovered from the first serious knee injury of his career.

Do not bet against him coming back stronger.