Newcastle United midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa is out of their festive fixtures.

The France international has not fully recovered from a hamstring injury, despite returning and scoring against Fulham last week, and he missed Saturday's defeat to Manchester City.

Toon boss Alan Pardew said: "There is a danger he could tear that and if he did that he would be out for two or three months whereas if we do it the right way and be sensible about it, it may only be three weeks. And obviously that is the route we are going to take."