A worrying Newcastle United injury setback has emerged regarding centre-back Fabian Schar...

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The Magpies defender was forced off during the 2-0 win over Arsenal on Monday night after clashing heads with Eddie Nketiah, with the club able to use a fourth (concussion) substitute to replace him.

An own goal from Ben White and a calm finish from Bruno Guimaraes sealed all three points for the Toon, but the victory was marred by the collision which left Schar in need of treatment.

After the game, Eddie Howe confirmed that the Switzerland international's knock is not a serious one and that they were forced to take him off the pitch. The Shields Gazette quote the 44-year-old as saying: "Fabian, I think, is OK. I think he was taken off due to protocols. He wanted to stay on. I think it was the right decision.”

Any player diagnosed with a concussion will not be able to train for a minimum of six days to ensure that a full recovery has taken place, and this means that the 30-year-old may now miss the season finale against Burnley on Sunday.

Supporters will be gutted

First and foremost, everyone will be thankful that Schar is not in a bad way and that he is 'OK' at the moment, given what happened on the pitch. However, Newcastle supporters will now be gutted that he may not be available this weekend.

His absence will be a big blow for Howe, as the Swiss ace has been in fantastic form in the second half of the campaign for the Magpies. Since the turn of the year, Schar has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.9 or higher in the Premier League in every month, which shows that he has been consistently superb at the back.

He has proven that he can put in quality performances on a regular basis and has formed a strong partnership with Dan Burn at the heart of defence. The pair have played their part in lifting the team up the table, with Howe's team currently sat in 12th place, a far cry from when he took over six months ago with the Magpies 19th in the league.

 

Schar has played 25 matches in the top flight this term, making 1.9 tackles and interceptions and 3.8 clearances per game. He has also chipped in with two goals and two assists as he has showcased his attacking quality from centre-back, adding another weapon to Newcastle's threat in the final third.

These statistics illustrate how important he has been to the club, and that is why supporters will be gutted by the prospect of him missing out against Burnley, a game which could see the Magpies finish the season in the top half with a win.

AND in other news, Forget Guimaraes: £59k-p/w NUFC dynamo who won of his 100% duels was a monster on Monday...