NEWCASTLE UNITED head coach Steve Bruce is facing an injury crisis as he prepares for tomorrow's Premier League trip to Burnley.

The Magpies boss has already had to rule out Jamaal Lascelles, Ciaran Clark, Allan Saint-Maximin, Matt Ritchie and Ki Sung-yueng, and has doubts over stand-in skipper Jonjo Shelvey and £21m frontman Miguel Almiron.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday morning, Bruce said: "I've had to write a few down this morning, we've got a few out.

"Certainly Clark and Ritchie, Lascelles, Saint-Maximin, Ki are all struggling - well, they're out - and we've got a couple of question marks over Almiron and Shelvey, so we'll see how they are today.

"Shelvey has got a bit of a sore calf and Almiron is a little bit tight in his hamstring, so we'll see how they are today and we'll make a judgement on them after training."

Saint-Maximin in particular will be a miss at Turf Moor having torn his hamstring late in last Sunday's 2-1 home win over Southampton.

The Frenchman, who faces a month on the sidelines, has been a key figure in Newcastle's recent improvement, which has seen them draw with Manchester City and secure back-to-back victories over Sheffield United and the Saints.

Bruce said: "You just have to look at the statistics and the impact he's made on the team and the way we set up. He gives you that threat which is vitally important to us, the way we play.

"Look, it's part and parcel of it, we have to adapt to it, we have to try to find a different way if we can, but of course he's been a bit of a talisman over the last few weeks and like any team with their better players, obviously it's a disappointment."