KIERAN TRIPPIER is battling with a long-standing groin problem – but Eddie Howe is hopeful the full-back did not suffer too serious an issue in Newcastle United’s FA Cup win at Fulham.

Trippier was forced off in the closing stages at Craven Cottage, and was complaining of pain in his groin as he left the field.

The injury is related to a long-standing problem that has been troubling him for a while, and that is being managed by Newcastle’s medical staff.

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Howe does not think the right-back did any serious damage at Craven Cottage, but with a quick turnaround ahead of Tuesday’s Premier League game at Aston Villa, it remains to be seen whether he is able to line up at Villa Park.

Howe said: “We hope he’s okay. He’s had a groin problem grumbling away for a while. Here (in the Fulham game), he just said he was a bit fatigued towards the end and was feeling his groin.

“Fingers crossed, it’s nothing serious. It’s no new injury.”

Newcastle’s win against Fulham, which came courtesy of goals from Sean Longstaff and Dan Burn, took them into the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time under Howe’s tenure.

Howe said: “It was a big result for us. We wanted to progress, it’s our last chance of silverware this season, so there was the expectation from us internally that we have to give it everything to try to get through.

“I don’t think it was the most fluent performance we’ve ever delivered, but I thought we got the main bits right, which was resilience and a really good character and attitude. I thought we improved in the game, and got better in the second half.”