NEWCASTLE UNITED took a huge gamble amid their goalkeeping crisis – by playing their only fit professional stopper in an Under-21 match.

Freddie Woodman played the full 90 minutes in Newcastle’s 2-0 win over Aston Villa at St James’ Park in the Barclays Under-21 Premier League despite injuries to Tim Krul, Karl Darlow and Rob Elliot leaving him as the only fit goalkeeper available for selection for Steve McClaren’s squad.

Magpies officials are confident that their appeal made to the Premier League for an emergency loan will be successful, with 18-year-old Woodman’s involvement in the second string giving credence to United’s assertion that the youngster is not considered a senior player.

Woodman was called back from a loan spell at League Two Crawley Town after Tim Krul ruptured his cruciate ligament while on international duty with Holland last month, and has been on the bench for Newcastle’s last three Premier League fixtures against Norwich City, Sunderland and Stoke City.

McClaren’s side travel to Bournemouth on Saturday and while the club’s coaching staff rate Woodman highly, the indication is that they would prefer an experienced goalkeeper to tide them over with Elliot suffering a recurrence of his thigh injury and Darlow still a week or so away from a return from an ankle strain.

There is precedence for the Premier League accepting such a request – although Newcastle have been turned down before.

A year ago, the club made an application to the league for an emergency loan with both Elliot and Krul sidelined, but with Darlow considered a first-team player despite being on a season-long loan at Nottingham Forest, the league turned their request down.

But Premier League officials have been more generous in the past, having accepted Manchester City’s request to bring in Sunderland goalkeeper Marton Fulop in 2010 after injury to Shay Given and their inability to call Joe Hart back from his season-long loan with Birmingham City.

Woodman came through Monday's second string game unscathed, while fringe players Massadio Haidara and Siem De Jong were given a run-out in the victory.

The Dutchman requested to be involved in Peter Beardsley’s side in a bid to prove his fitness to the club having been left out in recent weeks.

Defender Kevin Mbabu played an hour on Tyneside having recovered from an injury sustained in the 6-1 defeat at Manchester City almost month ago.

Both goals were scored by Callum Roberts, assisted by striker Ivan Toney.