Bowyer blow for Newcastle

Lee Bowyer is definitely out of Newcastle’s St Stephen's Day trip to Leicester.

Bowyer returned to training only this week after a hip problem and will not be risked by boss Bobby Robson.

Robson admitted Bowyer is around a fortnight away from a full return to fitness, making him a doubt for the whole festive programme.

Robson admitted: “Lee will come in Monday and we will see how he is. But we think he needs two weeks to get fit.”

The news is a blow to Robson, who faces losing striker Shola Ameobi for at least four weeks.

Ameobi suffered a fractured cheekbone in the goalless draw at Charlton and there were fears he could be out for up to six weeks.

But now the Magpies hope Ameobi will be back sooner with the help of a protective mask.

With Craig Bellamy out until February and Lomana LuaLua jetting off to the African Nations Cup, strikers are in short supply.

Robson told the Newcastle Journal: “Shola’s injury is bad news for us.

“It looked like an elbow but an accidental one. These things happen but it does look a bit gloomy for him.”

Leicester manager Micky Adams will check on the fitness of former Newcastle central defender Steve Howey who suffered a hamstring injury during the 3-2 defeat at Everton on Saturday.

Matt Elliott will be available to deputise if Howey is ruled out before starting a three-game ban for his sending-off against Birmingham.

Aston Villa captain Olof Mellberg is urging team-mate and fellow Swede Marcus Allback “not to get depressed” about his current lack of first-team involvement.

Mellberg believes Allback can take heart from 12-goal leading marksman Juan Pablo Angel and reignite his season once he breaks his Premiership goal drought. Angel went through a lean spell before hitting form with a vengeance and he scored for the third successive match in Saturday’s 2-0 win at Blackburn.

Allback, whose only goal this season was in the 2-1 defeat at Tottenham, looked out of sorts against Wolves nine days ago.

He has not even made the substitute’s bench for the last two games – the midweek Carling Cup tie with Chelsea and the Premiership game at Blackburn on Saturday.

Mellberg said: “Marcus definitely feels low at the moment. From being in the first XI to watching the game from the stands is a huge difference.

“He knows he did not have the best of games against Wolves but many players so far this season have been in that situation of being in and out.

“Marcus needs a lift and he needs a goal and you can the difference with Juan Pablo Angel since he started scoring.

“He is taking everyone on and having shots from everywhere and to do that you have to have confidence – and goals give a striker confidence.

“I do feel for Marcus but things do change very quickly in football so there is no point in being too depressed. We have so many games coming up and Marcus could play again – and he knows that.”

Villa manager David O’Leary has a clean bill of health for the visit of former club Leeds, who drew 1-1 at Manchester City last night.

Leeds, however, paid a costly price for their point, with defender Lucas Radebe carried off after a serious-looking hamstring injury.

Birmingham striker Christophe Dugarry’s suspension for his sending-off against Blackburn will carry over to the Manchester City game on St Stephen's Day after Saturday’s match with Middlesbrough was postponed.

But the Frenchman will not be available to play anyway as he is resting his season-long knee injury while having a series of injections to try and cure the problem.

Jamie Clapham is battling to overcome a hamstring problem and would have been doubtful had the Middlesbrough game gone ahead.

City scraped a point against Leeds with a late equaliser and will look to their misfiring strike duo of Robbie Fowler and Nicolas Anelka to finally hit form.