Newcastle United have been warned a long-term injury setback for January signing Kieran Trippier could prove 'disastrous' for their season.
That is the view of former Magpies midfielder Jermaine Jenas, who believes the England international has already proven himself 'important' in the club's bid for Premier League survival.
Eddie Howe named Trippier as captain in the absence of Jamaal Lascelles for Sunday's victory over Aston Villa, with the full-back scoring a free-kick for the second match in a row to seal a narrow 1-0 win.
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The Magpies have now moved four points clear of the relegation zone with a third straight win, but the head coach has been left sweating on the fitness of his influential full-back.
Trippier was given the green light to play having overcome a calf problem, but was pictured post-match wearing a protective boot following a foot injury.
The club have since confirmed the 31-year-old has fractured a bone in his foot, with fellow right-back Javier Manquillo also forced off earlier in the match through injury.
Jenas has praised Trippier's personality and 'impact' on his team-mates in a little over a month on Tyneside, and believes his absence would go beyond just the loss of a 'talented individual'.
He told BBC Sport: "It would be disastrous for Newcastle if Kieran Trippier's foot injury is serious - yes, he is already that important to them.
"Hopefully the problem he suffered in Sunday's win against Aston Villa is just a bit of bone bruising and it will only be a couple of weeks until he's back in action, because any longer and the effects of his absence would run deeper than just a talented individual missing a few games.
"Trippier has obviously scored a couple of excellent goals for Newcastle this week, but there's a much bigger picture to what he has brought to the club since joining last month than just his brilliant free-kicks.
"As well as his ability, I'm talking about his personality - and the impact he has had on his team-mates to help them start to turn around the situation they are in.
"I didn't play with Trippier at Tottenham because I had left before he joined, but I know plenty of people who did.
"They have told me what he is like - someone who keeps a level head in the dressing room and is also a calming influence to have around you on the pitch, with or without the ball.
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"You can tell how highly thought of he already is at Newcastle because Magpies manager Eddie Howe made him captain for the Villa game when Jamaal Lascelles was unwell. I can understand why.
"Trippier is not someone who gets too high or low, so what the club is going through will not affect him - and you know you can rely on him to help others deal with any difficult moments during games."
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