"It looks like there might have to be a look at the knee to clear it up a bit," says Alan Pardew.
"He has had it before and it is similar symptoms, so we think there is probably a little bit of surgery needed there - but hopefully it won't rule him out for too long."
Matthew Etherington is still out and Alan adds:
"Obviously he has had a great season for us on that left hand side, he does give us some natural width there, and we are missing him - but he will be back shortly and we are looking forward to seeing him on the training ground again.
"If you are going to pass the ball you need to spread the picture a little bit and Matthew does that particularly well for us."
Rufus Brevett and Steve Lomas are not yet ready but Alan adds:
"Both of those are major people for us and I am looking forward to having them back and they are well on the road to recovery."
SQUAD: James, Bywater, Repka, Dailly, Hutchison, Carrick, Horlock Connolly, Pearce, Harewood, Mullins, Deane, Quinn, Garcia, Ferdinand, Stockdale, Pearson.