Newcastle United boss Steve McClaren has conceded that the loss of Tim Krul for the season is a "massive blow" for his side.
The Dutchman was ruled out for the campaign after tearing his cruciate ligament while on international duty for the Netherlands in their 2-1 win over Kazakhstan.
McClaren has admitted that the Magpies will not only lose the ability of the 27-year-old on the field, but his leadership presence in and around the dressing room on matchday.
He told the club's official website: "It's a bitter blow for Tim and for us. I spoke to him on the morning of the game, he wasn't playing and - selfishly - I thought that was good, because then he would be fit for us. Then I got the news, the severity of the injury and how he did it, and it's a massive blow.
"Tim is a big part of us - he's a big player, a leader in the dressing room, and his goal was to establish himself in the Dutch side going forward. We will miss him for the rest of the season, and he loses seven or eight months of his career.
"It's going to be a very difficult time for him but Tim is strong, single-minded and he will come back from this injury. I've seen plenty of players go through this and come back just as strong, so we have no worries or concerns about what Tim will go through. The treatment and rehab he will get from us will be first class."
Newcastle are currently bottom of the Premier League after eight matches this season.
