Defender blow for Toon

Danny Simpson has added to Newcastle's injury problems after being ruled out for four weeks with a hamstring injury.

The right-back picked up the injury during last Sunday's 1-1 draw against Aston Villa and although the problem is not as serious as first feared, he is still looking at a month on the sidelines. It is another blow for boss Alan Pardew, who has already lost Ryan Taylor through a serious knee injury while it also looks as though Fabricio Coloccini has picked up a hamstring problem while on international duty. Simspon could miss five games while he is recovering but is just relieved the injury will not keep him out for longer. "It's a lot better than I first thought," Simpson told nufc.co.uk. "I've never had a hamstring problem before. I just felt something bad and I knew straight away I would have to come off. "But the scan results came back on Wednesday and it is hopefully three weeks, maybe four maximum. It depends on each person their body and how quickly they recover, but it's a lot better than what we first thought. "Already I'm walking easier than I was on Sunday, so that's a good sign."