Newcastle United

As we all know—for the old professionals who dominate punditry never tire of telling us—you can’t tackle any more, and that’s why the art of defending is dying, if not already dead.

Luckily for Newcastle United, no one has told Jack Colback, and manager Alan Pardew seems to have been able to keep this piece of conventional wisdom secret from the likes of Paul Dummett and captain Fabricio Coloccini, arguably the man of the match as Chelsea suffered defeat for the first time this season on Saturday.

True, Steven Taylor went a bit too far, spoiling his performance with two ill-judged yellow-card offences, the latter of which looked on the verge of a straight red. But generally, it was an outstanding defensive performance that was the basis of yet another superb result for the Tyneside club and their renascent manager.

The substantial proportion of fans who, only a few months ago, had become frustrated enough to arrive for matches bearing "Pardew Out" placards are now exuding a mixture of defiance and myopia; for all I know, some may be enjoying a laugh at their own expense as Newcastle continue to climb the Premier League table.

But the fact is the club, far from being in danger of relegation, are threatening a push for Europe. They might even flirt with a challenge for the Champions League if they beat Arsenal at the Emirates on Saturday. It would hardly be the shock of the season, given Pardew’s pace in attack and the dismal defending Arsene Wenger oversaw at Stoke City.

Newcastle and Arsenal are now level on points acquired—23. They are also neck and neck on 18 goals conceded, but when you consider the difference in terms of possession—Newcastle had only 34 per cent of the ball at home on Saturday, while Arsenal had 58 per cent away—it is significant. 

Not only that. Newcastle conceded 14 goals in their first seven Premier League fixtures, prompting the discontent and the anti-Pardew campaign.

However, they have conceded just four in the past eight—and kept a clean sheet in knocking champions Manchester City out of the Capital One Cup at the Etihad.

So what we are seeing is a team prospering through tactical balance. The very thing that is cited as being deficient when the more lauded Premier League teams, such as City, fall short (and get themselves into situations such as this week’s, when Manuel Pellegrini’s men have to succeed in Rome and hope Bayern have enough motivation to see off CSKA Moscow in Munich).

Though he has often been derided on Tyneside for providing poor entertainment, Pardew has the courage to tailor his approach to the opposition. If he had challenged Chelsea to a pure-football contest on Saturday, he would have lost. Instead, he sought to break up their game—and tackling was a key part of that.

Defending in depth would not have been enough—the fraught closing stages, once Taylor had been sent off, proved that—so it was necessary for Newcastle to win the ball nice and early, well away from their goal. That was where Colback came into his own.

A local boy, he sparked controversy by joining Newcastle on a free transfer from Sunderland in the summer. There were eyebrows raised further afield when Roy Hodgson called him into the England squad earlier in the season; many thought him to be technically ill-equipped for the international scene. But of late, Hodgson’s judgement has seemed less questionable.

Since injury struck down Owen Hargreaves between the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, England have cried out for a natural holding midfielder. On Saturday, Colback proved his worth against the likes of Cesc Fabregas.

Indeed, he could be said to have emphasised what Chelsea missed through the suspension of Nemanja Matic. And what’s more, he showed he could pass in the build-up to one of Papiss Cisse’s goals.

Dummett, at left-back, also played more than his part in what you might call a team ball-winning display, which, not for the first time, marked Pardew out as an expert organiser.

In recent weeks, the Newcastle manager has achieved tactical victories over, among others, Pellegrini and Jose Mourinho. I’m not sure I’d bet against Wenger being added to the list.

There is no doubt that Newcastle United and former Argentina midfielder Jonas Gutierrez has undergone the toughest year of his life. Trivial football matters like being picked, staying fit or winning games pale into insignificance when real adversity descends, as the 31-year-old knows well. 

In September of this year, Jonas revealed to the world that he had an operation to treat testicular cancer, followed by gruelling bouts of chemotherapy. "I detected a tumour in a testicle. When I confirmed the cancer, I came home crying," he explained to Argentine television station TyC Sports, as reported by the BBC. 

Almost two months of hell followed, before Gutierrez could finally leave hospital at the start of November cancer-free and looking forward to the future. 

Hoy me dieron el alta médica.

— Jonas Gutierrez (@elgalgojonas) November 3, 2014

Everyone at #NUFC is delighted to share the news that @elgalgojonas has been discharged from hospital in Argentina #UnitedWithJonas'

— Newcastle United (@NUFC) November 3, 2014

But where exactly does that future lie for the 2010 World Cup player? Most likely, Jonas will be lining up in the new year away from St. James' Park. Encouraging Twitter messages aside, the Premier League club's conduct throughout their player's struggle to get well has often been less than commendable.

The rift between the Argentine and his employers began back in January 2014. Having fought off cancer for the first time, Jonas was told he was surplus to requirements in Newcastle and shipped off on loan to Norwich City. Manager Alan Pardew in particular has taken heavy criticism for this apparent snub of the Magpies' loyal servant.

According to the Daily Mail, however, Pardew backed the decision made at the start of the year. "It was a pure football decision, and those are decisions that have to be made," he said.

"We’ve supported him and tried to do what we could when his illness was made known to us, before it was known publicly."

Pardew underlined during his press conference that Jonas would be returning to training in north-east England, and that he would be happy to welcome him back. "We have been very supportive since the illness and hopefully he will come back all guns blazing. He is a great character and we miss him dearly and look forward to seeing him."

For all the manager's protestations that it was just business, just football, however, it is hard to see Gutierrez seeing the issue in the same way after overcoming the greatest battle of his life. Moreover, such a traumatic period could leave the Argentine wishing to stay rather closer to home. That is why a move back home to Velez suddenly appears a distinct possibility should he turn his back on the Magpies.

Cancha Llena revealed that, following his all-clear, Jonas lined up in training (in Spanish) for his first club. The midfielder played for the club's substitutes and reserves in a practice match in Liniers, and it was clear that he felt comfortable in his surroundings having received admirable support from the Fortin during his cancer battle.

Subsequent declarations to Telam were even more revealing. Jonas told the state news agency that he did not see himself playing in any other shirt than the Velez kit (in Spanish), further raising hopes in Buenos Aires that the man who won the league with the club back in 2005 could be set for an emotional homecoming.

It seems that Newcastle and Velez will be left to hash out some sort of agreement in the new year that will serve both them and Gutierrez, as the player looks to get his professional career back on track. Pardew's team hold his contract and the upper hand, but they must think of Jonas' overall well-being. A move back to Argentina is what the player wants right now, and it would take insensitivity even greater than Newcastle's behaviour back in January to deny him that chance.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew insists that the decision to send Jonas Gutierrez out on loan to Norwich in January of this year had nothing to do with the player's cancer.

Gutierrez recently said he would "never forgive" Pardew for sending him away from St James' Park just months after his October 2013 surgery to treat testicular cancer, per Ian Murtagh in the Daily Star.

However, the Magpies boss has now attempted to assure the Argentinian midfielder—who signed for Newcastle in 2008—that the decision to loan him out was purely for footballing reasons, per Simon Bird in the Mirror:

We’ve supported him and tried to do what we can when his illness was made known to us, before it was known publicly. What he has done is absolutely marvelous, to recover like he has. I believe he’s picking up an award. We’re very proud of what he’s done. He needs to rest assured it was purely a football decision. We want to welcome him back here and help him have every chance.

The 31-year-old Gutierrez will return to Newcastle training next month after being given the all-clear following his cancer treatment:

Great News! Jonas Gutierrez discharged from hospital, returns to Newcastle training in Dec http://t.co/NGBjNXWcvS pic.twitter.com/EtjPUWFZxe

— 101 Great Goals (@101greatgoals) November 3, 2014

A perennial fan-favourite, he has played very little football in recent months for obvious reasons but did manage four appearances for Norwich during his loan spell in the second half of last season, per WhoScored.com.

The St James' faithful will hope Gutierrez can bury the hatchet with Pardew following the latter's comments and help Newcastle as they continue to recover from a poor start to the season.

Newcastle United and Alan Pardew’s recent revival has been a remarkable turnaround. After accruing a pathetic five wins in the entire calendar year, they’re now on a run of five straight victories, four of those in the league. However, despite the brief respite, the former West Ham United boss is still under huge pressure.

Quite what lies behind Newcastle’s upturn is a matter of conjecture. The summer’s signings—particularly Ayoze Perez—are starting to find their feet. Pardew has attributed the improvement to a shift in formation, per The Shields Gazette.

He also clearly has the players on side. The home fixture against Leicester City—the game that marked the beginning of the recent run—would have almost certainly led to his sacking had they failed to win. The determination exhibited to deliver their first win of the season was proof enough that the players want him to remain in the job.

Regardless of how long this renaissance lasts, it’s unlikely Pardew will ever completely rehabilitate his reputation in the north-east. The Sack Pardew campaign issued a strongly worded statement last week, rebuffing accusations of fickleness and impatience in light of the recent form. They were completely right to do so. They’re entitled to want the best for their club. It would be extremely difficult to argue Pardew represents that.

That being said, the Magpies’ fans are in an unenviable position. While the jury is still out on whether Pardew can truly be the calibre of manager the club deserves, there has been no doubt for some time that owner Mike Ashley is someone who no team should be burdened with.

Ashley has made his ambitions for the club perfectly clear numerous times. His installation of Pardew on an eight-year contract was motivated chiefly by his relatively low wages, and the belief he was a safe pair of hands. He’s unlikely to take the Toon to the next level, but he’s also unlikely to take them down.

In fact, Ashley has stated his desire for the club to avoid winning any trophies, due to the alleged correlation between silverware and relegation. The recent sales of Yohan Cabaye and Mathieu Debuchy have only solidified the perception.

Pardew’s lack of direction, coupled with the club’s moribund, scatter-gun transfer approach, has rightly got the fans up in arms. However, the club’s issues are rooted much deeper than the manager. As long as Ashley remains in charge, the best the club can hope for is a rudderless drift through the Premier League’s lower reaches.

If Pardew was to go, every indication suggests whoever the club replaces him with will be worse. This is exemplified by the managerial recruitments since Ashley took charge in 2007. After sacking Sam Allardyce, he has oscillated between inexpensive, uninspired options and those designed to appease growing fan unrest.

Unfortunately for the Toon Army, Pardew may be as good as it gets while Ashley is in charge—a classic case of “better the devil you know.” While Pardew is very much the public face of the regime, the fans’ ire would be better aimed squarely at Ashley.

After extending their Premier League winning streak to four games with a 2-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion, Newcastle United's fortunes are finally looking up after enduring a torrid 2014.

Alan Pardew's men have looked like a team reborn in recent weeks, but their biggest challenge of the season lies just ahead.

The Magpies' turnaround has been nothing short of exceptional, and the club are deservedly enjoying a renewed sense of optimism both on and off the pitch.

The north-east outfit have been particularly buoyed by the news that popular winger Jonas Gutierrez has been given the all-clear following treatment for testicular cancer.

"It's massive news for the squad because he is a much-loved figure here at the Club," Pardew told Steven Back of nufc.co.uk.

Meanwhile, their summer signings—Ayoze Perez and Daryl Janmaat in particular—are starting to jell with their team-mates, and the exciting crop of young players at the club have played a large part in Newcastle's revival, according to Jack Lusby of Bleacher Report. 

Indeed, the Toon Army are unbeaten since September and have kept four clean sheets in their last five matches.

But their optimism may not be long lived.

Winter is coming to Tyneside, and it's bringing with it a number of challenges, not least of all the fixture list.

#NUFC fans, here are your fixtures for the 2014-15 season: http://t.co/cw2l9ddukm #FixtureReleaseDay pic.twitter.com/ANyh78wA8v

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) June 18, 2014

While December is a typically fixture-packed month for every team, Newcastle can consider themselves slightly unlucky to be facing, amongst others, away trips to Arsenal and Manchester United and home visits from Chelsea and Sunderland, whom Newcastle have not beaten in their last five derby matches.

Despite the Red Devils' struggles in the Premier League so far this season, the game against Manchester United especially could be a cause of concern for manager Pardew.

The Magpies' trip to Old Trafford is their 10th away game in their last 12 Boxing Day fixtures, and the Toon have only managed four wins in their last 19 matches on 26 December.

Though last year's Boxing Day clash with Stoke City saw the Toon run out 5-1 winners, it's difficult to draw many conclusions from a game in which both Glenn Whelan and Marc Wilson were sent off in the first half.

A further worry for Newcastle heading into the busy Christmas period—they face seven matches in just 26 days—is the question of whether their relatively small squad can cope with the demand of so many games in such a short space of time.

Tribal Football reported that 18-year-old winger Rolando Aarons, a player of growing importance in Pardew's team, has suffered a recurrence of the hamstring injury that saw him out for six weeks earlier this season.

Fellow winger Gabriel Obertan will also be sidelined until next year.

Captain Fabricio Coloccini's substitution in the second half against West Brom serves as a further warning that keeping their players injury free will be crucial to Newcastle's fortunes in December, particularly in central defence where their only other recognised senior options are Mike Williamson and Steven Taylor.

It's also important to look at the long-term future of Newcastle. Their form of late has been outstanding, but it can't be allowed to simply paper over the cracks in their season.

Or, indeed, their last 18 months.

Former Toon striker Craig Bellamy, a pundit for Sky Sports for the game at West Brom, said:

Let's not get too carried away. Fifteen days ago we were talking about relegation, the manager was going to go, it as a nightmare for everyone involved in Newcastle.

As noted by Luke Edwards of the Telegraph, the protests from Newcastle fans at Pardew and the Mike Ashley regime are deep-rooted and completely justifiable.

A crippling lack of ambition from the board and a lack of consistency on the pitch under Pardew should breed caution in anyone who expects the Magpies to maintain their form for the remainder of the season.

After all, as much as Pardew deserves credit for the last five results, he has overseen a team that has failed to score in 16 of their 30 league matches in 2014, a team that was nearly relegated in 2013.

Newcastle's revival is certainly a welcome breath of fresh air into a club dogged by a toxic atmosphere, but whether they can keep it up is another matter entirely.

What a turnaround it’s been at Newcastle United.

Alan Pardew has lifted the Magpies from the grasp of a seemingly inescapable nadir and re-imbued the side with a sense of optimism.

Having won none of their opening seven games (losing three and drawing four), the north-east club have now won their last four. They have conceded only one in their last four matches and haven’t lost a match since the end of September.

On the back of their revival, Pardew’s boys have moved up to eighth place in the Premier League. They currently sit ahead of Everton, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, level on points with Manchester United and only one behind Arsenal.

Whisper it, but at the time of writing, Newcastle are only two points off the Champions League places!

“Crisis? What crisis?” asked The Guardian following the Geordies’ latest victory. 

The side’s last two results have been among their most impressive. Admittedly, Liverpool have their own troubles at the moment, but to beat the Reds and keep a clean sheet would have been almost unthinkable for Newcastle fans some weeks previously.

Similarly, West Bromwich Albion have improved upon their early-season form and had lost only one in six before being defeated 2-0 at home by the Toon over the weekend.

The club’s turnaround has been driven by Pardew’s decision to introduce several young players into the team.

Twenty-one-year-old Spanish forward Ayoze Perez has been the stand-out performer; he has scored in his last three league outings and bagged a magnificent goal against the Albion. The back-heeled effort was described as “special” and “outstanding” by his manager, speaking to BBC Sport. 

Paul Dummett and Sammy Ameobi have come through the ranks at the club and are proving their worth, with the latter scoring in the October victory over Spurs.

Algerian midfielder Mehdi Abeid has played the full 90 minutes in Newcastle’s last two victories and, arguably, could be the pick of the bunch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrRzbJTcXP8

It’s been a long road to the Magpies first team for the North African, but now that he’s finally made it, the early signs look promising.

Some, including Algerian football specialist Maher Mezahi, question why it’s taken so long for Abeid to make headlines in English football.

“The real enigma is why it took so long for him to finally get game time,” began Mezahi, when I interviewed him about Abeid’s progress, “Then you had likes of Yohan Cabaye, Cheick Tiote, Dan Gosling, Vernon Anita and even Gael Bigirimana getting game time ahead of him, despite good performances with the reserves.

“His loan at St. Johnstone was successful, and again he returned to Newcastle hoping to get time. That didn't materialise last season despite a great pre-season.”

Mezahi believes that Newcastle’s struggles helped the midfielder make a mark in the Toon’s first XI: “In the end I think Newcastle's crisis helped him. Injuries and the fact that they got a result in the Cup away at City helped Pardew gain trust in some of his 'fringe' players.”

There’s certainly a case to make that the club’s struggles forced Pardew to look beyond his regular options for inspiration, but it’s important, perhaps, that Abeid was only named in the first team once things had started to go well. The club had lost only one of their previous six when he was named to face Manchester City in the Capital One Cup.

Had he been called up during the club’s listless early-season performances, there’s no guarantee that things would have gone as well for him as they had in the latter matches, once their rhythm and resiliency was established.

@BRTMerrill yep. Though Abeid's been holding for Pardew, he has other qualities. Scored 7 goals in Greece last season.

— Maher Mezahi (@MezahiMaher) November 9, 2014

There’s no doubting, however, that Abeid has held his own since being introduced by Pardew.

As outlined by Mezahi: “He had a remarkably high number of tackles against Liverpool [seven according to WhoScored.com]. That's where he has improved most—his physicality. He wasn't fazed against Yaya Toure [in Newcastle’s Capital One Cup victory over Manchester City], and outmuscles a lot of attacking midfielders.”

In his last few showings for Newcastle, Abeid has played the Cheick Tiote role, replacing the injured Ivorian enforcer at the base of the midfield.

His discipline, energy and tenacity have allowed the other components of Newcastle’s midfield three, Moussa Sissoko and Jack Colback to flourish, and to impose themselves more creatively on games.

Pardew himself, quoted by the Shields Gazette, has identified “good strength, good discipline and a good mentality” as the player’s key qualities, while the Chronicle Live has given him the lovely moniker “the Engine-Room Entrepreneur.”

This, however, is not the limit of Abeid’s talents.

As Mezahi acknowledges: “At Lens, in the academy, he was primarily a right-winger, he was seen as a skilled and well-rounded midfielder that could score and assist.

“Operating in more holistic roles on loan helped him develop his skill too. He has a good touch, is very composed on the ball and has a high pass percentage. I think NUFC fans are yet to see his offensive contribution, but I think that'll come fairly soon.”

One suspects, however, that the ongoing doubt over Tiote’s immediate future may see Abeid making the defensive-midfielder role his own.

The Ivorian has been a crucial component of the Mike Ashley years at Newcastle—despite some off-colour spells—but is his time at St. James’ Park coming to an end?

The midfielder was unsettled in the summer, amidst rumours of a potential move to Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United, and the Magpies may opt to cash in in January.

In the near future, however, Pardew may have a problem. Following his sterling showings for the Toon, Abeid has been called up by Christian Gourcuff for the Algeria national side.

The Desert Foxes have already qualified for the Cup of Nations, and as long as the tournament goes ahead, there’s every chance that Abeid will be present.

Pardew himself has expressed concerns [via the Chronicle Live]: “It’s interesting that Mehdi has a call-up for Algeria and he has a chance of making the Africa Cup of Nations. That’s something which is concerning me a little bit, because he’s done really well.”

https://twitter.com/ssschtevvv/status/531492452163936256

In his last three showings, Abeid has demonstrated enough to indicate that Newcastle have been wise to keep faith with this long-term prospect. He has shown an aptitude for the “Cheick Tiote role,” qualities that may become particularly useful should the Ivorian depart.

Pardew has admitted as much, via the Shields Gazette: “He earned the right to play on Saturday, and hopefully he is one of the young players that could be a regular for us.”

One suspects, however, that there is much more to come from the North African talent—crucially, Pardew suspects it too.

All quotes used in this piece were collected personally by the writer, unless otherwise specified.

Of all the images that stick firmly in the memory so far in this Premier League season, there is perhaps one that ranks higher than the rest.

A grim Monday night in Stoke may not exactly be the place Newcastle United fans will think of when it comes to remembering Alan Pardew's reign in charge of the club—but think back, and it was a true indicator of Pardew's character.

Sure, the 53-year-old has dragged himself into murky waters in the last 12 months for a host of reasons, but this was perhaps his watershed moment of the 2014/15 season—so far, at least.

There was more than driving rain hammering down onto him—there was a swathe of hatred, abuse and loathing from a sweltered away end at the Britannia Stadium. Relations between the manager and the fans were at an all-time low, and the relationship looked irreparable.

Social media being overloaded with clips of Mike Ashley uttering a sentence that was clearly misconstrued emerged, and with an international break looming, a change seemed inevitable.

However, fast forward five weeks, and Newcastle United seem more together as a club than they have done at any point over the last 18 months. That is very much down to Pardew, who has stood firm in the face of much adversity, and has since guided the club to four straight wins in all competitions.

That Pardew is not hiding away is perhaps his best trait, and was vital for him getting a chance in turning the club's fortunes around. The conclusion of that game at Stoke saw Pardew applaud the away fans before heading down the tunnel, despite some pretty unsavory abuse.

It was almost a show of solidarity and determination from the Magpies boss—as if to say: I'm not going anywhere.

Pardew has always argued his corner and defended his decisions—sometimes a little too vigorously, granted. But that is what Pardew is all about—he won't hide, and he won't shirk away from making bold, brave decisions.

Message to #NUFC supporters - it's time to say sorry to Alan Pardew, writes @paddybarclay http://t.co/8f3uPjqJ26 pic.twitter.com/PDzkXJc1oe

— Standard Sport (@standardsport) October 30, 2014

Which leads nicely onto the performances of Newcastle throughout this upturn in form. It is the most recent of those four successive wins—the 1-0 against Liverpool at the weekend—which perhaps perfectly signifies how Newcastle have turned their fortunes around.

Pardew has been brave with team selection, opting to throw Mehdi Abeid into the fire of a Newcastle-Liverpool game without any prior Premier League experience. It paid off, too—as Abeid responded with a dominating, impressive performance in midfield to guide the Toon to victory.

Then Gabriel Obertan had to leave the field with an injury—but Pardew again opted for aggression over regression, sending on Rolando Aarons to terrorize a vulnerable Liverpool side. These may seem like straightforward, bread-and-butter decisions—but these were not decisions Newcastle United may have made under anyone else other than Pardew.

His bravery and aggression were further signified as the game entered the final quarter—clearly, a draw against Liverpool, regardless of form, is a decent result. But in tossing on Remy Cabella, he gave himself more credence with the Newcastle crowd that have so often demanded his blood in recent months.

Alan Pardew: Back from the dead. #NUFC pic.twitter.com/rleuJwViXX

— Squawka (@Squawka) November 1, 2014

With four wins on the spin, the pressure is slowly decreasing on Pardew, who is surely being afforded some respect by the Newcastle faithful for the way he has handled himself through such testing times. That was perhaps evident by the Halloween-inspired banner from a Newcastle fan at the Liverpool game that read: "Pardew, back from the dead." Quite.

He has proven himself to be a manager that is capable of making tough decisions in the past—and it is those kind of calls that earn you the respect of the fans.

Newcastle are far from a well-oiled machine just yet—but with Pardew steadying the ship, he deserves huge credit for guiding them through such choppy waters.

Gabriel Obertan is facing up to a lengthy recovery programme after rupturing a thigh muscle during Newcastle's 1-0 Premier League victory over Liverpool.

Continue for updates.

Updates from Friday, Nov. 7

Obertan Set for 4-Month Absence

Newcastle's worst-case scenario has reportedly been realised, according to the Daily Mirror's Simon Bird:

Gabriel Obertan is out for four months after having surgery on his ruptured thigh.

The French winger had an operation on Thursday and won't play again until March ina major blow to player and Newcastle United.

Alan Pardew didn't put a specific time frame on Obertan's return, but did confirm the injury was serious, per Newcastle's official Twitter:

AP: "Gabriel Obertan has torn the muscle in his thigh and will be out for some time. He won't be back in the short term." #nufc

— Newcastle United (@NUFC) November 7, 2014

  

Updates from Saturday, Nov. 1

Obertan Stretchered Off During Newcastle vs. Liverpool Game

A difficult season got even tougher for Newcastle United Saturday as midfielder Gabriel Obertan went down with what appeared to be a serious injury.

According to the club's official Twitter account, the 25-year-old Frenchman suffered the injury in the 24th minute of an EPL clash with Liverpool:

24' - Firm pass by Mehdi Abeid for Obertan but he goes down holding his thigh after giving chase. He remains down receiving treatment. #NUFC

— Newcastle United (@NUFC) November 1, 2014

Obertan was unable to continue with score knotted at 0-0, and he was ultimately replaced by Rolando Aarons:

27' - Substitution for Newcastle United. Rolando Aarons replaces the injured Gabriel Obertan. #NUFC

— Newcastle United (@NUFC) November 1, 2014

While the true extent of the injury remains to be seen, Scott Wilson of The Northern Echo speculates that it could be a significant muscle tear:

Obertan now being carried around the side of stadium on a stretcher - looks like he might have completely torn his thigh muscle #NUFC 0-0

— Scott Wilson (@Scottwilsonecho) November 1, 2014

The Magpies are currently 14th in the Premier League standings, and losing a promising player like Obertan over the long haul certainly won't help their cause.

Obertan entered Saturday's match with a goal and an assist in three starts as he seemed to be coming into his own. If his thigh injury is as serious as it looked, though, that progress has come to a screeching halt.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter

Are we in for a surprise? Rolando Aarons sends Newcastle in front at the Etihad, six minutes played. #mcinew https://t.co/4sjilhUtI7

— 433LIVE (@433LIVE) October 29, 2014

Prior to Wednesday evening's League Cup quarter-final with Manchester City, Newcastle United have never won a game at Eastlands.

The visitors, however, got off to a fantastic start, with 18-year-old Rolando Aarons breaking the deadlock after six minutes.

It took just six minutes for Rolando Aarons to put Newcastle ahead against Man City. pic.twitter.com/4Lhy7bBiWh

— Squawka (@Squawka) October 29, 2014

Starting only his second game for the first team, Aarons picked up a Ryan Taylor pass and cooly slotted past Willy Caballero.

Taylor, incidentally was playing his first match for the Magpies in two years. 

Not just as an #Nufc fan, but a football fan in general, how good is it to see Ryan Taylor back on the field. The man must be ecstatic

— Gareth Bainbridge (@GazBainbridge) October 29, 2014

In the 75th minute, Moussa Sissoko doubled the visitor's advantage with a lovely run and finish. 

Moussa Sissoko gives Newcastle a deserved two-goal lead. http://t.co/rgqslBuAZE

— Football Vines (@Vine_Football) October 29, 2014