DYER BLOW FOR ENGLAND

The £6 million signing from Ipswich saw a specialist in Leicester earlier this week about his troublesome calf injury, and he advised that Dyer will need an operation which will keep him on the sidelines for between four and six weeks.

Dyer said: "I was fearing the worst. I had a feeling this would be the verdict and I don`t have any choice but to get on with it. I just hope there are no complications - at least the uncertainty is now over."

Dyer`s absence will come as a huge blow to Newcastle as they attempt to continue their climb away from the foot of the Premiership table.

Newcastle boss Bobby Robson admitted that the loss of Dyer is a major disappointment.

He said: "Obviously he will be a big miss at a critical time for us, but he should make a full recovery.

"He has been a big investment and we need to look after him."

Dyer has targeted the league trip to Bradford on December 18 as a possible comeback date, although the FA Cup third round is scheduled for the previous weekend.

Dyer said of his injury: "It`s a sort of cramp in both my calf muscles caused by not enough oxygen getting to them. I`ve had problems for a while and it can be painful.

"The only thing I can do is get some rest, but that means I probably won`t be fit for the play-off games against Scotland and it definitely means missing some important games for Newcastle."

However the injury could be even more serious and reports around Tyneside have suggested that Dyer could be out for upto three months.

Bobby Robson did get some good news as he welcomes back Duncan Ferguson for Thursday`s UEFA Cup second round second leg with FC Zurich at St James`s Park.

Steve Howey and Temur Ketsbaia hope to be in contention by the time United go to Watford on November 20, leaving Andy Griffin as the only other long-term casualty at the club.