NEWCASTLE UNITED owner Mike Ashley has acknowledged that the squad should have been strengthened in January after John Carver was left with only 13 fit senior outfield players.

The head coach has been kept in the loop regarding discussions to identify potential summer targets over the past few weeks and he revealed the Magpies hierarchy has accepted that they made a mistake by not entering the winter market.

The 50-year-old’s revelations are particularly interesting given Ashley’s stubbornness to stick to a transfer policy that has frustrated supporters during his tenure, and head coach also confirmed that work is already well underway to ensure the squad is bolstered in the summer.

"It's a difficult situation,” Carver said. “I've spoken to Lee Charnley who has obviously spoken to Mike, and they acknowledge the fact that we're a little bit short at the back and particularly at centre back.

“There's a process in place, I've been involved in that process for a few weeks now, there's big meeting in the next couple of weeks with Lee Charnley and Graham Carr to talk about the future, and to talk about investment.

“I've seen who we are looking at and without going into detail there's a lot of work going on behind the scenes. This football club will invest in the summer, because it needs it.”

Carver has a threadbare squad to choose from when in-form Arsenal visit St James’ Park tomorrow. Mike Williamson is the club’s only fit senior centre-back, meaning right-back Daryl Janmaat will move into the middle and one of midfield duo Jack Colback or Jonas Gutierrez will be tasked with playing at left-back.

While discussions are taking place in terms of summer recruitment the Newcastle hierarchy must also make a decision over who will succeed Alan Pardew on a long-term basis.

Carver has made it clear he would like to lead the club beyond the end of the campaign, but having guided the Magpies to two wins in 11 matches in remains to be seen whether he is given the chance.

Asked whether he is paying the price for the club not spending in January, Carver said: “Yes, the squad needs to be stronger and they have acknowledged that to me, Lee and the board have acknowledged that to me, and that's why I am saying to you now they are going to invest, because they know they have to.

“The fact that Lee and Mike have acknowledged that doesn't make me feel better, but at least the people understand out there that that's what happened.

“I have always said from day one, I have got to deal with the situation, and I will. Now, who knows what they are thinking? They might take this into consideration, I don't know.

“But what I won't do is I won't give up on it, I won't think, 'Well, I've got all those people out, that's it, that's me done, I'm not going to get this job'. I'm not going to think that way.

“What I have to say is, take all those injuries away and we have got 26 professionals. Now that is a decent-sized squad and under normal circumstances, that's not a problem with three or four injuries. Five or six is pushing it, but not as many as that.”

While Carver is missing eight first-team players through injury, two are missing through suspension.

Coloccini will miss the games against Arsenal, Sunderland and Liverpool, while Cisse is one game into his seven match ban for spitting at Manchester United defender Jonny Evans.

Both bans could have been avoided, but Carver felt that the skipper’s red card should have been downgraded to a yellow.

“I was disappointed with Papiss, but I do have some sympathy with Colo. I'm still not convinced it was a straight red card,” admitted Carver.

“It wasn't a desperation thing (the appeal).

“I went through all the criteria. If you look at it time and time again, people sometimes go on past reputations.

“I remember when something similar happened at Liverpool with Suarez on the touchline. Colo deserved to get sent off that day.

“I won't defend anyone, even if he is my player, if he's in the wrong, like I did with Papiss.

“With this situation, I wasn't convinced it was reckless where he was out of control.

“I was convinced it was a yellow card.”