Newcastle United suffered a major injury scare just weeks before the start of the new Premier League season after Anthony Elanga was carried from the field on a stretcher following a reckless tackle that triggered chaotic scenes during their pre-season clash with Valencia.

The incident overshadowed what was supposed to be an important evening for the Magpies, as new head coach Matthias Jaissle took charge of his first match since replacing Eddie Howe earlier this summer.

Instead of focusing on tactics and preparations for the upcoming campaign, Newcastle were left anxiously waiting for news on one of their biggest attacking stars.

The dramatic moment arrived just before halftime.

Elanga collected the ball near the touchline and attempted to burst past Valencia captain José Luis Gayà with one of his trademark bursts of pace. As the Swedish international knocked the ball beyond the defender, Gayà launched into a sliding challenge that caught Elanga low on the leg, sending the winger crashing to the turf in obvious pain.

The reaction was immediate.

Newcastle’s substitutes and coaching staff leapt from the bench, while several first-team players rushed toward the incident to confront the Valencia defender. Tempers quickly boiled over as players from both sides exchanged pushes and heated words near the touchline, forcing match officials to intervene before the confrontation escalated further.

Throughout the commotion, Elanga remained on the pitch receiving treatment from Newcastle’s medical staff.

After several minutes of assessment, the winger was eventually placed on a stretcher and helped from the field, creating genuine concern among Newcastle supporters watching the match.

Given the nature of the challenge and Elanga’s visible discomfort, many feared the club’s £55 million summer signing could be facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines before the Premier League campaign had even begun.

Fortunately for Newcastle, those fears were eased after the match.

Early medical assessments indicated that Elanga had escaped serious damage and was instead dealing with a painful bruise to his shin rather than a significant ligament or bone injury.

Speaking after the final whistle, Jaissle admitted the challenge left everyone connected with Newcastle fearing the worst.

The German coach acknowledged that the tackle looked extremely dangerous in real time but expressed relief that initial examinations suggested the injury was not as severe as first feared.

Despite losing Elanga before halftime, Newcastle responded impressively on the pitch.

Trailing 1-0 at the interval, the Magpies regrouped during the break and produced a much stronger second-half display. Summer signing Yoane Wissa emerged as the hero by scoring twice to complete an impressive comeback and hand Jaissle his first victory as Newcastle manager.

While the result provided encouragement, attention quickly returned to Elanga’s condition.

The injury scare comes during what has already been a turbulent summer at St James’ Park.

Newcastle have undergone sweeping changes ahead of the new campaign. Eddie Howe departed the club earlier in the summer, with Jaissle appointed to lead a new era. The squad has also been reshaped significantly following the departures of several key players.

Club captain Bruno Guimarães recently completed a high-profile move to Arsenal, while Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon also left during the transfer window, forcing Newcastle into a significant rebuild before the new season.

Against that backdrop, losing Elanga—even temporarily—would have represented another major setback.

The winger is expected to play an important role in Newcastle’s attacking plans after arriving as one of the club’s marquee signings, and supporters will be hoping the positive early medical reports prove accurate.

Time remains on Newcastle’s side before competitive action begins.

The Magpies still have several pre-season fixtures remaining, including meetings with Everton, Bayer Leverkusen and Strasbourg, giving Elanga a chance to recover before their Premier League opener later this month.

For now, Newcastle can breathe a sigh of relief.

What initially looked like a potentially devastating injury appears to have avoided the worst-case scenario, allowing the club to continue preparations with optimism that one of their biggest attacking threats will be available when the new campaign gets underway.