Fabricio Coloccini is hopeful of shaking off his thigh injury in time to face Norwich on Saturday. He suffered a thigh injury last Saturday’s defeat against Chelsea and limped out of the field. However Coloccini speaking at an awards ceremony in Gateshead on Wednesday night said: “It is tight but I am hoping to play in the next game”.
Fabricio Coloccini is out of contract at the end of the next season but Newcastle boss Alan Pardew is hopeful captain Coloccini, who will be crowned the North East player of the year this weekend, will agree fresh extensions. According to Pardew: “Fabricio represents everything I like. He was the number one choice to be captain and there was not really a number two in the running. He was always going to be the captain unless he suffered an injury”.
In their match against Norwich City, United lost 4-2 and Coloccini was sorely missed. Coloccini did not shake off his thigh injury in time for the trip to Carrow Road and Pardew had to name a much changed defensive line for the first time this season. Coloccini was withdrawn in the early stages of the loss to Chelsea last weekend, and that precautionary approach could pay off. Pardew said in an interview: “We are really hoping that Colo is fit. He’s got a 50-50 chance and we will have to see. The morale in the camp has been one of disappointment because of the way the game went against Chelsea. And on top of that we lose Steven Taylor and Colo which is a major blow”. In the absence of Fabricio Coloccini, full backs Danny Simpson and James Perch have been lined up to make a new central defensive partnership.
