Newcastle United skipper Fabricio Coloccini insists they can handle their Africa Cup of Nations departures.

Mehdi Abeid, Papiss Cisse and Cheick Tiote will all jet out for the competition in Equatorial Guinea after the game with Burnley on New Year's Day.

But Coloccini feels that United can get by and he told the Evening Chronicle: "Now we have a bigger squad.

"We have great players on the bench as well. We have Manu Riviere and Ayo is doing brilliant as well. We have Remy Cabella too.

"There a few good players to come in."