Newcastle United head into Saturday's home fixture against Hull City without a clear prognosis on Anthony Elanga, who is set to miss the match after picking up an injury earlier this week.

Manager Matthias Jaissle confirmed that Elanga would undergo an MRI scan to establish the seriousness of the problem, saying the club hoped the news would not be too damaging. "No real update on Anthony. I've spoken with him now, he is heading for an MRI scan. We will get more clarity after that, and hope it's not too serious," Jaissle said.

The Newcastle boss added that losing Elanga at this stage of the season was a blow the squad could ill afford. "It is sad after the great start he had. He is a key strength in our squad and we want to stay positive," he said.

A growing injury list

Elanga is not the only absentee troubling Jaissle ahead of the weekend. Striker Will Osula, Amar Dedic, and Jacob Ramsey are all sidelined, adding to the pressure on an already stretched squad.

Nico Gonzalez will also sit out Saturday's game, placed in concussion protocol after sustaining a head knock during Newcastle's heavy defeat to Leeds on Monday night. Jaissle described the incident as unfortunate, noting the impact had been strong enough to trigger the league's concussion procedures.

"It was just unlucky. It was not a big hit, but the hit was strong enough and precise enough to knock him out," Jaissle said. "We need to be smart — we have the responsibility to follow the protocol from the league, which I really think is so advanced and so good, so he's missing Saturday's match."

Respect for Hull's threat

Despite Newcastle's injury woes, Jaissle is focused squarely on the task at hand. Hull City have been one of the standout sides of the early season, defeating Manchester United and drawing away at Chelsea to announce themselves as genuine contenders.

"Hull are doing a great job, they have a clear identity. They know exactly what they are doing and what their strengths are and how to execute them on the pitch," Jaissle said. "We need to take their strengths away and use their weaknesses to get a good result."

Saturday's match represents Newcastle's final league outing before the international break, making the result all the more significant as both clubs look to carry momentum into the pause.