Kieron Dyer appeared to play his final game for Newcastle at Carlisle on Saturday while Joey Barton played his last for six weeks having broken a metatarsal.
Barton will undergo surgery today and is set to miss Newcastle's first three or four Premier League games. If it is four, then he will not be seen until the game at Derby County on September 17th.
Given that Barton was handed the Newcastle captaincy on Saturday, and that he is Sam Allardyce's biggest signing at €8.6 million, his loss is pivotal.
However, it does not mean that Newcastle will persuade Dyer not to leave, with the club apparently preparing to receive an offer for him from West Ham, Tottenham or Manchester City this week. It is unlikely Newcastle would turn down €7.4 million or more.
Over the past few days Dyer and Allardyce seem to have reached the same conclusion - that the player would be better off leaving the club he has been at since 1999. Having been played on the left wing in a prosaic 1-1 draw against the League One side, Dyer came off in the second half sporting a dejected look.
When Allardyce was asked if that could have been Dyer's last appearance in black and white, he replied: "Kieron Dyer hasn't said anything to me. We've got no bid. If we do get a bid, then it might be his last game for Newcastle but we've got no bid."
What Allardyce did not say was that he was determined to hold on to the 28-year-old regardless. He said Newcastle were yet to receive an approach from West Ham but Alan Curbishley was quoted yesterday saying: "We have not made any contact with Newcastle and I understand Sam has said: 'There is no smoke without fire.' Perhaps he (Dyer) wants to leave. I would not rule out a move for him because I think he is a very exciting player."
Allardyce's first comment on Saturday was: "What I've learned is that we need more players." And he is now set to be another two down. To date he has acquired Barton, David Rozehnal and Geremi and has sold Scott Parker to West Ham. The net spend is around £3 million.
"I'd hope we'd have got more faces in the last two weeks and we haven't got a single one," Allardyce repeated on Saturday. "As I've said, we need three or four. I've been telling you for weeks that I need three or four defenders in, so I'm going to be concerned, aren't I?"
Rozehnal and Geremi both made their Newcastle debuts against Carlisle. Rozehnal looked fast but was outjumped for the Carlisle goal. After Barton's news Geremi assumes greater importance as he can play in central midfield.
Emre Belozoglu can also play there but the Turk has an ankle injury. He joins Damien Duff in the treatment room and, while Allardyce was optimistic about Michael Owen, Shola Ameobi and James Milner, he was unable to use any of them at Brunton Park, where Nolberto Solano scored a 90th-minute equaliser.
Allardyce arrived at St James' Park admitting the club's track record on injuries had contributed to the managerial demise of his two predecessors, Graeme Souness and Glenn Roeder, and he is assembling a backroom team designed to keep serious injuries to a minimum.
"Our object is to make (the players) more aware of their bodies, more aware of what they need themselves to progress as footballers," said Allardyce. "Our policy is to prevent injuries and make players fitter physically and mentally, and that means they are more available to be selected for the team."
Mark Viduka's international future remains uncertain after the 31-year-old Newcastle striker refused to commit to Australia following their Asian Cup defeat by Japan on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Blackburn Rovers took an encouraging step yesterday towards another Uefa Cup campaign when they overcame the Lithuanian club FK Vetra 2-0 in Vilnius.
Matt Derbyshire assured his team of victory in this Intertoto Cup third-round first leg 10 minutes from time with a powerful 25-yard shot that the goalkeeper could only help into the net.
Blackburn had taken the lead after 29 minutes when Andre Ooijer played the ball into the penalty area and Benni McCarthy volleyed home from six yards.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho insists Arjen Robben's absence from the friendly against the Los Angeles Galaxy was due to injury and not any impending move to Real Madrid.
The Premiership side defeated the Major League Soccer side 1-0 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, with John Terry netting the decisive strike.
Former Liverpool and England striker Robbie Fowler has agreed a two-year contract with Championship side Cardiff.
Guardian service
