GABRIEL Obertan will be sidelined until at least the New Year after an initial set of scans on his injured thigh revealed significant damage.

The Magpies winger pulled up clutching his thigh in the first half of Saturday's 1-0 win over Liverpool, and while further tests will be required to ascertain the full extent of the problem, the initial signs are not good.

Obertan's injury is believed to be similar to the thigh problem that has sidelined Siem de Jong since September, and he is unlikely to be available until the start of 2015 at the earliest.

The Frenchman's latest injury setback has come at the worst possible time, as after a prolonged spell out of the team, he had just forced his way back into Alan Pardew's plans.