Obertan suffers injury setback

Gabriel Obertan faces a spell out of the Newcastle squad, the club have confirmed, with the 22-year-old suffering an infection in his toe.

The Frechman is to face up to a month out with the injury, and a possible return is penciled in for Newcastle’s tie with Chelsea in December.

Obertan has featured in all 12 of Newcastle’s games so far this season, and without the winger on board, Alan Pardew has admitted that the club will be stretched as they prepare to face Everton this Saturday.

"Gabby has an infection in his toe. It looks like he could miss three or four weeks - it's a big disappointment," Pardew told The Chronicle.

"Gabby is a really good player for Newcastle to have and I think he's done fabulous for us so far and his presence has been part of an unbeaten start to the season. I am really, really happy with him.

"On occasions you want to see him open his legs a bit more. But he has to get that fine line between when to attack and when to keep the ball."

Newcastle have had a start to the season that has impressed even the most hardened critics of the club, and while Cheick Tiote and Shola Ameobi have both suffered injury problems, the Toon kept up their top form by convincingly beating Stoke on Monday night.

And while Toon fans are overjoyed at the side’s position in the Barclays Premier League table – currently third, above Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool – Pardew’s talents as a manager will be tested as injuries start to build up in the side.