Newcastle defender Dan Burn was taken to hospital in an ambulance with a suspected rib issue following his involvement in the Tyne-Wear derby.
Burn started the game for the Magpies and was a commanding presence until a heavy collision with Nordi Mukiele in the first half.
Both players lunged for a loose ball with Burn getting his outstretched foot to the ball first and nudging it out of play. Momentum then carried Mukiele into his opponent as the pair slid into each other with Burn taking the brunt of the collision on his chest.
After receiving some initial treatment from the Newcastle physios, Burn returned to the pitch and defended a corner before calling to the bench to be taken off.
Fabian Schar replaced him just before the half-time break and Newcastle went on to lose the game 1-0 following Nick Woltemade’s headed own goal just a minute after the second half restart.
Sky Sports News reported that ‘defender Dan Burn has been taken to hospital in an ambulance after a rib injury in that game.
‘He was substituted after complaining to the bench that he was having problems breathing. He has headed to hospital to have further treatment.’
A disappointed Eddie Howe also confirmed the news when speaking to Sky Sports after the game. He said: "Dan Burn has gone to hospital for a check of his ribs so hopefully he will be OK."
Of the result, Howe added: "It was not our finest game. The effort was there but the quality was not. It was a game of really few chances decided by a freak goal and we could not create the opening we wanted.
"We know how much this means and all the focus on today was huge. We tried to deliver our best performance and we haven't done that. We feel disappointed in ourselves and that we left something on the pitch and that's a horrible feeling."
