Newcastle United's Steven Taylor undergoes hamstring operation

Newcastle United have confirmed that centre-back Steven Taylor will be sidelined for the next two months.

The club made the announcement this afternoon following the news that the 29-year-old had undergone surgery on a hamstring injury that had limited him to just two Premier League appearances this season.

Taylor has been plagued by fitness problems over the last couple of campaigns, having made only 23 outings in all competitions since August 2013.

He will now miss a host of fixtures, including Saturday's home encounter against Chelsea and October's Tyne-Wear derby against rivals Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.