Rafa Benitez Prepares to Welcome Back Defensive Duo Ahead of Newcastle's Clash at Swansea
Rafa Benitez is set for a timely boost ahead of Newcastle United's trip to face Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium on Sunday, with news that defensive pair DeAndre Yedlin and Florian Lejeune will be back from injury, according to a report in the Sunderland Echo.
Benitez has seemingly become embroiled in a spat with the club's hierarchy following their lack of investment in the transfer window and national reports have suggested that the Spaniard's time in the North East in now drawing to an end.
Nonetheless, the former Liverpool and Real Madrid boss will be determined to consolidate Newcastle's position in the Premier League table, following their opening win of the season against West Ham last time out.
DeAndre Yedlin, their right-back, has been out of action since July, having limped out of a pre-season friendly against Bundesliga side Mainz with a hamstring issue, and only last month the 24-year-old tweeted that his recovery is "back on track."
Meanwhile, Florian Lejeune, a summer signing from La Liga outfit Eibar, suffered an ankle injury in the Toon Army's season-opening defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, and has recovered sufficiently to be in contention, along with Yedlin, for Newcastle's trip to South Wales.
Although the pair will expected to be fit, left-back Paul Dummett, who also limped off in that fixture against Tottenham with a hamstring injury, will not be fit until later on in the year, leaving Benitez still somewhat short of a full compliment of players.
The 57-year-old must decide whether he wants to persist with the same back four that kept an impressive clean sheet against West Ham or attempt to accommodate the returning players.