Ben Arfa faces two weeks out

Newcastle playmaker Hatem Ben Arfa could be back in action within a fortnight after manager Alan Pardew was handed some rare welcome injury news.

The France international limped out of Thursday night's 1-1 Europa League draw with Maritimo with a damaged hamstring, and although the club's medics were confident there was no tear, Pardew was left facing up to the absence of perhaps his most creative player. However he is expected to be back in harness sooner rather than later.

Pardew said: "It's not as bad as we feared, so I think a couple of weeks, but no more than that, hopefully."

Copyright (c) PA Sport 2012, All Rights Reserved.