Dan Burn was forced to visit hospital after suffering a rib injury in Newcastle’s defeat to Sunderland on Sunday.
The England international had to be taken off shortly before the half-time break after a heavy challenge from Sunderland’s Nordi Mukiele.
Burn signalled to the bench that he was struggling to breathe after the collision, for which the Black Cats man was booked.
Magpies manager Eddie Howe revealed that Burn had been hospitalised as a result of the challenge, but is hopeful that it is not a serious injury.
‘Sore one, I think, for Dan, that’s very unlucky to come off firstly,’ Howe told Sky Sports. ‘He’s gone to hospital for a check on his ribs, so fingers crossed that he’s ok.’
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It is another blow for Howe on a bad day as Newcastle were beaten 1-0 by their local rivals thanks to a Nick Woltemade own goal.
The German striker headed into his own net on 46 minutes and Newcastle could not bounce back in a match in which they produced just two shots on target.
Howe said of the performance: ‘It was not our finest game. The effort was there but the quality was not. It was a game of really few chances decided by a freak goal and we could not create the opening we wanted.
‘The goal came at a really bad time and was bad in its construction – Nick has not meant to do it but it has decided the game. I thought we had defended pretty well.
‘The quality was missing in both halves, we were disappointed with our creative output. There was more intensity and more bravery on the ball after the changes without creating the chances and their goalkeeper was not overworked.
‘We know how much this means and all the focus on today was huge. We tried to deliver our best performance and we haven’t done that. We feel disappointed in ourselves and that we left something on the pitch and that’s a horrible feeling.’
Sunderland’s seriously impressive return to the Premier League continues as the win sees them climb to seventh in the table.
Black Cats boss Regis Le Bris said: ‘Proud and happy. It was a derby and we were expected [to win] by our fans. This win is well deserved, we were mature and the lads were incredible.
‘During the first half tactically it was really good, just small details about the shape, then it was a question of being more clinical in the final third. We had good control and some times were more patient.
‘It was a good level of maturity, so happy for the lads and it is good for our fans.
‘It’s good for the region, the club, the fans. We knew before it was a special game but we have to reset quickly as we have another tough challenge in Brighton in one week so let’s go again.’