Eddie Howe will have to find an internal solution to his Newcastle United full-back injury crisis - until the January transfer window at least. The Magpies currently have Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento ruled out for the coming weeks, with the England pair sidelined with hamstring and knee injuries respectively.
Livramento is expected to miss around six to eight weeks after damaging his knee in an aerial collision with Arsenal's William Saliba last month, while Hall has struggled with match fitness all season.
The young left-back had been used sparingly since recovering from a long-term foot and ankle injury which ended his season back in February, but after several first-team appearances, he now faces another spell out after damaging his hamstring in a second-half substitute appearance against Union Saint-Gilloise last week.
It meant he was not in the squad for last weekend's win over Nottingham Forest, with Howe confirming he expects Hall to be missing for several weeks.
"He felt his hamstring against Union, which was a real blow for us," Howe said of Hall's injury. "We've been trying to manage him back. Unfortunately, he just felt something in that game.
"We've had it scanned. Before we get conclusive evidence of how long he'll be out, he needs another re-scan in about 10 days.
"So it's not going to be a short-term injury. We hope it's not going to be a long-term injury, but we sort of don't know yet.
"I don't have a rabbit I can pull out of the hat."
Dan Burn has been pressed into action at left-back, with Kieran Trippier continuing on the right-hand side in Livramento's absence, and while Howe has faith in the pair, there is little in the way of back-up options.
Emil Krafth and Harrison Ashby could come into the mix if the United boss wants to rotate his side, but Newcastle will not be able to recall Matt Targett from his loan at Middlesbrough.
The experienced defender is enjoying plenty of gametime under Rob Edwards on Teesside, making six appearances so far and scoring in their 2-2 Championship draw with Preston North End.
Players can be recalled, if there is an appropriate clause, after 28 days, but only with the consent of both clubs. However, as Targett was not part of United's 25-man Premier League squad, the club would not be able to register him until the January window, making any recall largely pointless at this stage.