Newcastle United midfielder Joe Willock's injury picked up against Bournemouth is a 'concern', following a worrying update from Eddie Howe.

The Lowdown: Newcastle held at Bournemouth

The Magpies made the long trip south to face the Cherries on Saturday evening in another important Premier League game in the top-four battle.

Newcastle were never at their best throughout the evening, though, falling behind to a Marcos Senesi goal and equalising through Miguel Almiron just before half-time.

While the result itself was disappointing, there was another blow on the day as Willock was forced off through injury during the first half, which suggests that he could be set for a spell on the sidelines.

The Latest: Willock injury 'concern'

Taking to Twitter, Keith Downie reported Howe's comments regarding the midfielder, with the outlook a worrying one from a Newcastle perspective.

The Sky Sports journalist tweeted:

"Eddie Howe says Joe Willock’s hamstring injury is a concern."

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The Verdict: Big worry for Newcastle

This is an undoubted worry for Newcastle, considering that Willock has been one of many heroes at St James' Park this season, playing a big part in their success up to this point.

The £80,000-per-week Englishman has started 20 of his side's 22 league matches in the current campaign, chipping in with two goals and two assists and providing energy from midfield.

The 23-year-old is crucial to the success of Newcastle's passing game, with his 84.7% pass success rate the second-highest in the Magpies' squad. His industrious qualities will also be missed if he is ruled out for an extended period, as only three team-mates can better his average of 1.6 tackles per game (WhoScored).

Willock has been hailed as a 'pivotal' player by Howe, highlighting his importance to the team, and there must now be concern over his involvement in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester United later this month, given the potential severity of his hamstring injury.

Newcastle's squad depth is now being tested, with Bruno Guimaraes absent through suspension and Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin also getting injured against Bournemouth, and they will need to dig deep in the coming weeks through a relatively sticky period of form.