BOSS Eddie Howe admits Adam Smith’s injury may be “serious” and “doesn’t look good”.

The Cherries full-back left Newcastle on crutches with a supportive brace on his right knee after sustaining the problem midway through first half of Cherries’ 2-1 defeat on Tyneside.

Giving an update on defender Smith, Howe said: “It looks like a serious injury.

"We won’t know until we get it scanned and have a detailed look but it doesn’t look good.

“It would be foolish of me to give you a clear view without a scan.

“He injured his knee in an earlier tackle.

“He felt his knee was slightly unstable, went to take a quick free-kick and it gave way.

“From the free-kick it looked like no-one touched him. He felt something further and collapsed on the floor.”

Salomon Rondon’s first-half double paved the way for the Magpies to record their second win of the campaign and condemn Cherries to back-to-back losses.