Injury setback for Dyer

Newcastle midfielder Kieron Dyer is facing a fresh bout of injury misery after he suffered a hamstring strain just one game into his comeback.

The 27-year-old England international missed last night’s Barclays Premiership draw with Charlton four days after making an impressive match-winning return in the FA Cup against Southampton on Saturday.

Caretaker boss Glenn Roeder revealed that Dyer has suffered a slight hamstring strain, and although he insisted it is by no means as catastrophic as the problem which sidelined him for more than five months, he admitted he is devastated.

“He’s hugely disappointed – anyone would be because when he came off (on Saturday), he would have been happy to stay on,” he said.

“It was me who withdrew him after he scored the goal, he really would have liked to stay on because he felt so full of running with no pain whatsoever.

“It was a little bit of a surprise that he’s picked up a slight strain, but there’s no way at this stage we are back to square one, or Kieron’s back to square one.

“We are remaining very, very positive that no longer than three weeks will see Kieron out training hard and flying again.

“Any player who gets injured, you are concerned and worried, but if it is going to be three weeks back to full training, then you have to accept that, and you wouldn’t say it’s a major injury and a huge setback.

“It is a bit of a setback for him, of course it is, because he has worked so hard to get to where he got on Saturday.

“But if he’s back training hard and playing in three weeks, then gradually, we will build up that strength in the hamstring. The problem is he has played so little football.”

Like Dyer, skipper Alan Shearer sat out last night’s game, and the Magpies’ woes worsened 10 minutes after the break when defender Titus Bramble limped off with a hamstring problem which is expected to keep him out for three weeks too.

The injuries overshadowed a game which the home side dominated until well into the second half without ever breaking down their opponents before 17-goal striker Darren Bent sparked a fightback.

However, it was Newcastle frontman Shola Ameobi who passed up the game’s best chance 14 minutes from time when he headed over the bar from close range.

Charlton boss Alan Curbishley was satisfied with the draw, which gave his side just their second away point in eight attempts, and is hopeful it will help them avoid the kind of post-Christmas slump which has hampered them in recent seasons.

“We have been in great positions in recent years and we are hoping for better things,” he said. “Hopefully it can turn our run around because there are a lot of points to play for.

“We are only six or seven points off the top six or seven, and a couple of wins can change that dramatically.

“This week was a big week for us, at home to Brentford in the cup and we needed to pick something up here.

“We have got Villa at the Valley on Saturday, so it’s a big week. It could tell us a lot about where we are going by the end of Saturday evening.”