Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has admitted that Yohan Cabaye and Hatem Ben Arfa may miss the start of the season.

Both players have only recently returned to training after they represented France at Euro 2012, and Pardew has acknowledged that the pair may be left out of Newcastle's opening matches.

Pardew told The Journal: "Ben Arfa is struggling for the first game of the season, if I'm honest.

"The only reason he is struggling is that we are a tight group. The group has reached a pace that Hatem has to catch up with in two weeks.

"He might, because he is that good, but we will have to wait and see. It might be the same with Cabaye too."

Newcastle begin their season with games against Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, as well as being involved in a Europa League qualifier.

Written by
Darren Plant