GLENN ROEDER'S hopes of enjoying a turnaround in fortunes on the goal front has been hit by the news that £10m striker, Obafemi Martins, will be out for at least the next two weeks through injury.

Martins will not be on the plane bound for Sicily on Wednesday morning for the UEFA Cup Group H fixture with Palermo after a tightening of his hamstring.

The Nigerian missed Saturday's goalless draw with Charlton with the problem and he has also already been ruled out of the visit of Sheffield United next weekend and the Carling Cup tie at Watford a week tomorrow.

It is hardly ideal for Roeder, who is already short of numbers in attack following Alan Shearer's retirement and Michael Owen's serious knee injury.

Giuseppe Rossi is ineligible for the trip to Italy while Antoine Sibierski missed the game with Charlton with a bruised toe and Shola Ameobi is unlikely to start following a deterioration of his hip injury.

"It's a good question - which strikers will travel? Oba won't," said Roeder. "If Martins was to carry on playing over the next couple of weeks it would develop into a tear. Players with the speed he has often pick up hamstring strains and they need protecting. He needs strength and we don't think he will be out for more than two weeks. That means four games, unfortunately."

The shortage of numbers up front means Damien Duff and James Milner are serious contenders for starting roles against Palermo, even forgotten man Albert Luque could find himself thrust into the limelight again.

Duff performed well against Charlton alongside Rossi up front but was culpable for missing a string of chances that fell to his less favoured right foot.

Roeder, though, admits he will have to prioritise his team with such a gruelling run of fixtures ahead.

"I don't want to. I want to put out the strongest team we can on the day for whatever competition we are playing in," said the Newcastle boss, whose side sit just one place above the Premiership's relegation zone in after failing to win any of their last six league matches. West Ham yesterday won their second game of the season to leapfrog the Magpies.

"It would be hugely disrespectful to put out weakened teams on purpose.

"But when you are playing every few days and picking up knocks then they are not having enough recovery time.

"You have to accept knocks are going to be picked up and we need to be lucky with injuries because we have only 17 or 18 outfield first-team players."

Roeder also revealed Ameobi can play one more game before he must have his delayed hip operation.