Newcastle United have been hit by a toe injury suffered by winger Gabriel Obertan.

The ex-Manchester United man is ruled out of a meeting with his former club on Wednesday night and his absence is another blow for manager Alan Pardew whose fragile squad is already being stretched at the start of a new transfer window.

With Sylvain Marveaux, Danny Guthrie and Peter Lovenkrands also out, Pardew could hand Irish youngster Shane Ferguson his first start of the season against the Barclays Premier League champions and switch Jonas Gutierrez to the right wing.