An interesting revelation from Sky Sports on Sven Botman.

Keith Downie, who covers Newcastle United for Sky Sports, has been interviewing the Dutch defender.

With the man from Sky Sports reporting that Sven Botmen told him he'd torn his ACL ligaments without realising.

He says he did his knee against Brentford on 16 September but then played on two more games, before the damage to his knee was discovered.

We all know how good Sven Botman is and he'd helped Newcastle keep a clean sheet in the win over Brentford, then a few days later another clean sheet in the San Siro, before a third clean sheet in a row / in a week when Sven Botman also scored his first Newcastle goal in an 8-0 win at Sheffield United.

To be honest, I have always assumed that the initial damage was when landing awkwardly against Liverpool a few weeks earlier than the Brentford match. Sven Botman had to be subbed in that Liverpool match, then missed the next game at Brighton, before coming back for the Brentford game.

Sky Sport reporter Keith Downie on Sven Botman - 1 January 2024:

Sven Botman reveals he played on for two games after tearing his ACL ligaments - without knowing:

"I did my knee against Brentford but then played two games after that (without realising).

"It blew up the day after the Sheffield United game and the scan showed some big damage in my knee.

"Some people (specialists) said it was a total rupture.

"Ohers said that it wasn't.

"So I have done everything to rest and avoid surgery.

"The operation would have kept me out for nine months but I'm back and feeling like my old self again.

"So it seems like I made the right choice."