Newcastle injury crisis deepens

Newcastle will be without at least eight first team players when they face Liverpool on Sunday, including three first team defenders.

Toon manager Joe Kinnear will have to do without Habib Beye and Jose Enrique through injury, while Sebastien Bassong is suspended after his red card against Wigan.

There was more bad news for Kinnear when Mark Viduka was ruled out with a torn groin muscle, as he joins fellow strikers Obafemi Martins and Shola Ameobi in the treatment room.

It's not looking good for Liverpool at all," admitted Kinnear after seeing his side beaten by Wigan.

"There's about four or five players playing who will struggle to play on Sunday and, in total, I think we have about eight first-teamers injured now. It's obviously far from ideal."