LAURENT Robert suffered a suspected fractured cheekbone last night, adding injury to the insult of Newcastle United's Worthington Cup exit.

Robert missed the final penalty of Newcastle's 3-2 shoot-out defeat to Everton, having been hurt during the dying stages of extra-time.

After missing the first three weeks of the season with a back injury, this latest setback is another blow to the Frenchman and his side.

Sir Bobby Robson revealed: "Laurent could have a fractured cheekbone.

"I asked him if he was OK to take a penalty and he said he was fine.

"But it didn't look like it to me from the way he took it."

Robson, who refused to condemn 18-year-old Michael Chopra after he missed in the shoot-out, was fuming with Newcastle's defending as they twice squandered a lead.

The match eventually finished 3-3 after two hours of exciting football, and the Magpies manager blasted: "We had the game won twice and weren't good enough to win it when we should have been.

"We didn't do what we did here on Monday against Middlesbrough, which was defend resolutely.

"There was poor defending from us.

"For the first goal, Kevin Campbell got a free header from three yards out.

"I've been here three years and I'm sick of telling players how to mark.

"It just gets me brassed off, to be honest.

"We defended very poorly down our left to let Wayne Rooney get in behind us, and it cost us a goal.

"Hugo Viana had a good game, but he lost the ball in midfield trying an ambitious pass, and that led to the penalty and 3-3."

Robson added: "We practised penalties yesterday and we hit them in like rockets.

"Michael Chopra hit cracking penalties yesterday - but tonight he lifted his head and did a Chris Waddle, and put it over the bar from 12 yards.

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