Jonjo Shelvey fractures finger breaking up Newcastle training ground fight
Jonjo Shelvey during the Newcastle United Training session at The Newcastle United Training Session on August 25, 2017, in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)
Newcastle United midfielder Jonjo Shelvey fractured his finger breaking up a training ground fight between captain Jamaal Lascelles and Mo Diame.
Lascelles and Diame are understood to have come to blows after an argument got out of control, prompting Shelvey to act as peace maker.
The former Liverpool and Swansea player leapt in between the two as things turned ugly and was caught by a flurry of punches as he tried to wrestle them apart.
The row is believed to have started during a feisty training session on Thursday in which Lascelles repeatedly described Diame, who has retired from international duty with Senegal as “lazy.”
The news is embarrassing for Newcastle as it comes on the same day that they announced Lascelles has signed a new six year contract, with manager Rafa Benitez praising his professionalism and attitude this season.
The only good news for Benitez is that Shelvey will not be forced to miss any games and will play against Southampton next weekend with a protective cast on his hand.
Benitez tends to encourage heated training sessions as he wants to replicate the intensity of match situations but he will not have been impressed by two senior players losing control in such a violent manner.
He has spoken to both Lascelles and Diame and hopes the problems between them have now been solved.
