Fabian Schar injury: Will Newcastle United defender be fit to play against Chelsea this weekend?

Newcastle are currently fourth in the Premier League, level on points with fifth-placed Chelsea with an identical goal difference. The two clubs will meet at St James’ Park on Sunday, May 11, with just three weeks of matches left in the league season.

It comes as both clubs compete for a top-four finish, which would qualify them for the Champions League. Manager Eddie Howe has described this as being “an expectation” for the club this season.

He said: “It was an expectation that we placed upon ourselves, so I get what you’re trying to say, but I don’t necessarily feel it feels that way internally. Winning the cup final, I think, gave us a freedom and a new-found confidence off the back of achieving that – that gave us a bounce in the next few games. We elevated our performance off the back of that.

“But that feels like it was, in football terms, quite a while ago and now we have to still use and take that confidence, but now we have to focus on these last three games knowing, for me, just how good the team can be. We have to set our expectations very high of ourselves.”

For Newcastle, defenders Lewis Hall, Matt Targett and Jamaal Lascelles have all been ruled out injured. Midfielder Joelinton has also been sidelined, while Kieran Trippier is back from injury.

Fabian Schar has picked up a knock in recent weeks, and Howe shared an update on his condition at a press conference last week. He said: “I'm not 100 per cent sure what's happened with Fab, he was limping. I don't know whether that was a cramp or a muscle injury, so we'll have to check.”

In his absence, Howe could rely on fellow centre-back Sven Botman, who has been injured for large portions of the season.