JOHN CARVER has been boosted to learn he could call on Siem De Jong before the end of the season after encouraging news from Newcastle United’s medics.

De Jong has undergone surgery on his lung in a bid to rectify a problem which first surfaced in August 2013 when he was at Ajax.

He already feels frustrated to have missed out on the vast majority of his first season at Newcastle but the collapsed lung he suffered earlier this month left him privately fearing he would not play again until August.

However, sources close to the club suggest the operation has gone to plan and that he could make a return to action before the end of the campaign.

De Jong has only played three times for Newcastle since his £6m move from the Eredivisie and the last of those was in the 3-3 draw against Crystal Palace on August 30.

Ironically he was due to be on the bench for last week’s return fixture at Selhurst Park after recovering from the groin problem which had prevented him from playing. Then he suffered the collapsed lung and, after discussions with the club and specialists, he requested to have surgery in the hope he does not suffer the problem for a third time.

De Jong has only made three appearances in total for the Magpies and two of those were as a substitute. He was hailed as one of Newcastle’s most exciting signings last summer but has not had the chance to show the sort of form which made him a hit at Ajax.

Newcastle, who could have to turn to the fit again Ryan Taylor this weekend after Paul Dummett added to Carver’s defensive problems, are in need of giving the fans a lift after a failure to win their last two matches.

Despite collecting a point from the games with Stoke and Palace, supporters were critical of Carver’s tactics as Newcastle let slip a lead in both matches.

The task will certainly not be any easier this Saturday when he takes his squad to Premier League champions Manchester City. Despite the success at the Etihad Stadium earlier in the campaign, City can’t afford to lose any further ground on leaders Chelsea.

Manuel Pellegrini, whose side are seven points adrift of the Blues with 13 matches remaining, looks set to hand Wilfried Bony his debut following a £30m switch from Swansea City.

Bony, who has started training with City after the Ivory Coast’s successful Africa Cup of Nations campaign, is eager to impress against a club which has courted him since his days with Vitesse in Holland.

“If I am needed I have a good record against Newcastle and I’ve scored three goals in two games against them,” said Bony. “They are a good side and are strong at the back but they are coming to our stadium and we need to win this game.

“Four days later we will be playing Barcelona and we need to go in to this game on the back of a strong performance.”

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley, meanwhile, has been called to give evidence before a parliamentary committee.

Ashley has been asked to appear alongside senior management at Sports Direct to determine the treatment of workers at USC’s Scottish warehouse, who were made redundant when administrators were called in to a Sports Direct controlled business that owned 28 USC stores last month.

The stores were bought out of administration by another Sports Direct fashion subsidiary, Republic, and continue to trade, but workers at the Ayrshire warehouse who lost their jobs have said they were not properly consulted before being let go. The Scottish Affairs Committee intends to take the evidence in March.