Newcastle: Steve Bruce will 'kick himself' if Allan Saint-Maximin injury serious

Saint-Maximin came off in the sixth minute of stoppage time with Newcastle having used all their subs

Newcastle manager Steve Bruce said he would "kick himself" if winger Allan Saint-Maximin picked up a serious injury in their victory over Southampton on Sunday.

The Frenchman left the pitch in the sixth minute of stoppage time after appearing to sustain a hamstring problem and later left on crutches.

Bruce admitted it is "the downside of playing somebody tired".

"We don't know how serious it is," the Newcastle boss said.

"I will kick myself if he is out for a long time. He is that maverick free spirit we have to manage. He wanted to play, to be fair to him."

In Thursday's 2-0 win at Sheffield United, Saint-Maximin headed his first goal for the Magpies but was substituted in the 81st minute and left the field with a heavily strapped ankle.

"He had a nasty ankle the other night and was hobbling around, but when he pulls up the way he did, then we all fear the worst and that is the downside of playing somebody tired," Bruce added.

Saint-Maximin missed games against Norwich and Watford in August through injury, as well as the defeat by Liverpool in September.

Newcastle signed the Frenchman from Nice for £16.5m this summer and he has started nine of their 16 Premier League games, scoring and assisting once.