Head coach Eddie Howe admits Newcastle United‘s defensive choices are wanting skinny after Tino Livramento was dominated out for as much as two months with a hamstring damage.

The defender hobbled off in his aspect’s dramatic penalty shootout win in opposition to Bournemouth within the FA Cup on Saturday.

Livramento solely returned from a knee lay-off earlier this month and Howe mentioned he was “completely devastated for him as a result of he is labored so laborious to come back again”.

The 23-year-old, who has three England caps, faces a race in opposition to time to show his health earlier than the March internationals in opposition to Japan and Uruguay.

The setback leaves Newcastle gentle of defensive choices at a time when Dan Burn, Fabian Schar and Emil Krafth are already out.

“Defensively we’re actually stretched,” Howe mentioned following his aspect’s 2-0 defeat within the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg in opposition to Manchester Metropolis.

“We’re pinning our hopes on Dan being again fairly quickly.

“That will give us an enormous elevate and, in fact, the switch market continues to be out there to us.”

Burn suffered a damaged rib and punctured lung within the derby defeat in opposition to Sunderland, however may return earlier than the top of the month.

Howe additionally has the choice of recalling left-back Matt Targett, who’s on mortgage at Middlesbrough, whereas there are nonetheless two-and-a-half weeks left for the membership to recruit within the switch window.

Newcastle have cash to spend, if wanted, however any mid-season strikes would have an effect on what the membership can do that summer time when there are doubtlessly higher choices out there and extra worth out there.

Howe has overtly questioned if the “proper participant” is obtainable within the mid-season window.

However Malick Thiaw, Sven Botman, Lewis Corridor, Kieran Trippier and midfielder Lewis Miley, who has crammed in expertly at right-back, are his solely out there senior defensive choices going into Sunday’s journey to Wolves.

Newcastle then face PSV, Aston Villa (twice), Paris St-Germain, Liverpool, Manchester Metropolis, Brentford and Tottenham over the course of 24 days.