Harvey Barnes could be out for 'months rather than weeks' in injury blow for Newcastle

Newcastle United have suffered an injury blow with the news that summer signing Harvey Barnes could miss months of the season due to a foot injury.

The £38 million buy from Leicester City limped off the pitch after just 12 minutes of Newcastle's 8-0 demolition of Sheffield United at Bramall Lane in the Premier League on Sunday.

Barnes, 25, was making only his second start for the Mapgies and manager Eddie Howe looks set to be without the winger for a chunk of what is a busy schedule of domestic and European action.

“Yes, we're fearing it's going to be [bad news]. It's difficult. I don't want to put a time on it until we get confirmation from the specialist, but I think it will be months rather than weeks,” said Howe.

“It's an injury to a part of the foot just below the toe. I think it's quite a substantial injury. We've had it scanned, we're waiting now for a specialist's opinion on what to do next, whether there's surgery involved or not.

“I don't think it was a tackle, I think it was just pushing off to run, a very unusual injury. I won't go too technical because I'm not medically qualified to do so, but yes, very unusual.

“He was down after the game because he knew it wasn't a normal injury where you feel a muscle and think that might be one or two weeks.

“This was a slightly more complex issue, and I think he probably feared the worst because there was no one around him and it was one of those mechanisms where he knew it wasn't quite right.”

The news has taken the edge of what has been a successful spell for Newcastle that has seen them narrowly beat Brentford, hang on for a draw at AC Milan and then thump Sheffield United.

Sheffield United v Newcastle United - Premier League

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