Newcastle's Joelinton ruled out for a minimum of six weeks with thigh injury

After Joelinton was forced to be replaced by Lewis Miley through injury in the second half of Newcastle's 3-0 win over Sunderland in the FA Cup third round, Eddie Howe has confirmed the extent of the injury.
The Magpies boss, speaking at a press conference ahead of his side's Premier League clash with Manchester City, confirmed that the Brazilian midfielder will be ruled out for at least six weeks due to a thigh injury.
"It isn’t good, it is an injury that will see him miss a minimum of six weeks, it is a real blow for us. He is such an important player. He has a problem with his tendon in his quad. He is very disappointed, he wants to play and do well - we have had to try and pick him up. He is our midfield driving force, it is a big blow," he said.
Joelinton established himself as a regular starter for the St James Park outfit two seasons ago and was instrumental in helping the Magpies qualify for this season's Champions League. The 27-year-old Brazilian has made 23 competitive appearances so far this term, 21 starts, scoring three goals and providing three assists.