Newcastle United skipper Jamaal Lascelles could be BACK by Christmas despite playing on with a broken leg

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 27: Jamaal Lascelles of Newcastle United celebrates with Joelinton of Newcastle United and Ciaran Clark of Newcastle United after he scores his sides first goal during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wanderers at St. James Park on October 27, 2019 in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

Manager Steve Bruce has revealed Lascelles will be out for four to six weeks with a broken fibula, after scans revealed he did NOT suffer any knee ligament damage, as first feared.

“It’s a fracture, and that sounds awful, but it is not as bad as first feared," said Bruce.

“When I saw his knee I thought he’d done his cruciate. We all thought it was ligaments. But he has a crack on the outside of his leg and it could be a month to six weeks.”

Bruce, who is hopeful Ciaran Clark will make return to his former club Aston Villa on Monday night, continued: “Jamaal will be a few weeks but it is not as bad as we thought it would be. Thankfully his knee ligaments are all right.

“He will be a few weeks and it is a blow. No one wants to lose their captain.”

When asked whether Lascelles played on with a broken leg, Bruce said: “You can because it is your fibula, it is not weight bearing.”

While Clark is touch and go, Fabian Schar and Florian Lejeune are available for selection for Bruce on Monday.

The manager could also turn to Paul Dummett, if Republic of Ireland international Clark does not make the trip.