EDDIE Howe says it's too early to know the severity of Anthony Gordon's knee injury after the Newcastle forward was forced off at Chelsea.

Howe described the setback as "strange", with Gordon not able to put his finger on the moment he suffered the injury at Stamford Bridge. But the England hopeful tried and failed to play through it and, says Howe, was in "quite a bit of pain" at half-time.

The timing couldn't have been much worse for Gordon, with England boss Gareth Southgate in the stands, and for Newcastle, who face Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter final this weekend.

Howe said: "I can't really add too much to it other than the fact it was a knee injury.

"It was strange. There was no mechanism or moment when he felt it, it was just there in the game, according to Anthony at half-time and he was in quite a bit of pain. We don't quite know how bad that is.

"We fear it's not looking too good, he's in a lot of pain, but it's early days.

"I think it was quite early in the game but there there was no moment where he felt the injury, just a pain was there. We sent someone (a staff member) over (to the far side of the pitch) because he didn't look like he was moving right. Eventually he succumbed to the injury."

Dan Burn was also replaced late on after picking up a knock but Howe said it was nothing to worry about.

Another injury blow had been confirmed earlier in the night, with Harvey Barnes missing the 3-2 defeat at Stamford Bridge with what Newcastle described as a minor hamstring problem.