An ankle injury has
brought Damien Duff's first season at Newcastle to a premature
end.
The Republic of Ireland international was replaced by Albert Luque
towards the end of Newcastle's 2-1 defeat to Portsmouth on
Saturday.
The winger was sent for an X-ray after the match at Fratton Park
and manager Glenn Roeder has now admitted he will be unavailable
for the last few weeks of the season.
He will therefore miss Newcastle's four remaining Premiership games
against Chelsea, Reading, Blackburn and Watford.
Duff has struggled for form and fitness since joining The Magpies
from Chelsea last July.
But Roeder feels Duff's recent performances have been lively and is
sad to lose him for the end of the season.
"While an X-ray has shown there is no break, Damien has a badly
swollen ankle and our medical people tell us that he will not be
able to play again this season," Roeder told the club's official
website.
"It's bad luck for Damien coming at a time when he was beginning to
show the sort of form we have been looking for from
him."
