Steve Bruce offers injury update on Matt Ritchie and Isaac Hayden at Newcastle United

Ritchie and Hayden were forced off in Newcastle United’s 1-1 behind-closed-doors draw against Aston Villa at St James’s Park this evening with “soft tissue” injuries.

And the pair are being assessed ahead of the club’s first quarter-final in 15 years.

Asked about the injuries, head coach Bruce said: “Both soft tissue. Well have to wait and see. We hope we’ve caught it, it’s more precautionary. We have to err with caution.”

The result left Newcastle in 13th place and 12 points above the relegation zone with seven games left to play. Bruce said: “We’re disappointed. It’s the first goal we’ve conceded in five games (at home). If somebody had said we’d take four points from these first two games, I’d have accepted it.”