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Coloccini "Doubtful" For Swans
Written by Newcastle Utd
Fabricio Coloccini is unlikely to be fit for Saturday's game at Swansea says Alan Pardew, who will also be without Tim Krul
By Dan King - Newcastle United Club Reporter
Captain Fabricio Coloccini is "doubtful" for Newcastle's trip to Swansea, according to his manager Alan Pardew.
The Argentine defender was injured shortly before half-time in last weekend's 4-2 win over Southampton and was replaced by Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa.
But Pardew remains confident ahead of Saturday's game despite admitting that Coloccini was unlikely to be fit for the visit to the Liberty Stadium after being hurt while making an acrobatic clearance near his own corner flag against the Saints.
"He was trying to get us out of a spot of trouble but he did hurt his back in that incident," Pardew confirmed. "I don't think it is advisable for centre-halves to do overhead kicks, I really don't!
"I think he is doubtful but there's a chance he could play. I think he's someone now who we've got good options if he's injured and we didn't have that at all up until Mapou arriving. We're a lot stronger there now.
"It is doubtful for Coloccini, I think, for the game at Swansea and if you'd taken him and Tim (Krul) out of the team six weeks ago we wouldn't have a chance of winning this game.
"But as it is now, we're a different proposition. We've got much deep strength and of course we've still got a great chance of winning without them."
Pardew also revealed that Hatem Ben Arfa was unlikely to figure in South Wales and also provided an update on the condition of Tim Krul, who was hurt in the closing stages of last week's Europa League victory at Metalist Kharkiv.
"His ankle is still a little bit swollen," the manager said. "We think it's a maximum of four weeks, five weeks, but we're hoping for less than that."