Alan Shearer has asked groin strain victim Obafemi Martins to play through the pain barrier for the Newcastle cause. After a groin scan on Tyneside this week highlighted an area of concern, the Nigerian international flew to Milan with a member of Newcastle's medical staff yesterday to seek a second opinion from a trusted Italian specialist.
"We have a few different scenarios for Oba," Shearer said. "One, an operation, two an injection, three rest, four play through the pain barrier."
Newcastle's manager is trusting Martins will agree to opt for the fourth option. "We know obviously what we want him to do, it is just a case of how much pain that will cause him," said Shearer.
"The favoured option is to try and play through the pain barrier and see where we get to at the end of the season. An op would rule Oba out for the season, rest and we'd lose him for two or three weeks and it would be the same with an injection."