Steve Bruce signing suddenly set for surprise chance under Eddie Howe?

Just as Eddie Howe's NUFC were building momentum and brimming with confidence, we've been hit by a few unfortunate injuries at right-back.

Kieran Trippier could be missing for two months with a fractured metatarsal and we're now waiting nervously to hear the extent of an ankle injury sustained by Javier Manquillo; another player who limped off on Sunday.

Craig Hope (The Mail) reports that we are hopeful Manqullo's injury isn't 'too serious', however it seems very likely that someone well down the pecking order will be called upon for upcoming clashes with West Ham, Brentford and Brighton.

Enter Emil Krafth - the Swedish international signed by Steve Bruce back in August 2019 and a player many didn't expect to see start again this season.

The 27-year-old has rarely looked up to it at Premier League level, however he could now be handed one last chance to impress Eddie Howe over the coming weeks. After all, he seems like one of several fringe men who will be flogged this summer should he fail to take his chance; something Joelinton, Schar, Fraser and Manquillo have certainly done since the new manager came in.

For all his limitations, one thing Krafth will always give you is 100% effort. He puts his body on the line and tries his best. I'd even argue that he has looked better - the odd time we've seen him - since Howe came in.

He was aggressive and alert after replacing Trippier on Sunday and put in his best display in a black and white shirt in his last start - a 1-1 draw with Man Utd that saw him stick to his task defensively and almost create the winner for Allan Saint-Maximin.

I know a few NUFC fans who think he's awful - one has even called him one of the worst right-backs he's seen at the club - but it's important we get behind him if our worst fears are confirmed and Manquillo's injury also keeps him out long term.

Howe may be tempted to go with a back three of Schar, Lascelles and Burn, playing Targett at LWB and one of Murphy or Fraser down the right instead. However, if it's Krafth at right-back in a four-man defence, we can only hope he steps up and doesn't let us down.