AFTER admitting the loss of Shola Ameobi all but killed Newcastle United’s chances of beating Aston Villa, Steve Harper has urged his bosses to ensure the club does not find itself in the same position next season.

Ameobi was a late withdrawal from the Magpies squad to face Villa when his knee swelled up after the previous day’s training session. With Kevin Nolan and Cheik Tioté suspended, on-loan Stephen Ireland ineligible and Leon Best’s season ended by injury, Harper felt it was too much for a thin squad to take.

So it proved, as Newcastle were beaten 1-0. Unused substitutes Shane Ferguson, Michael Richardson, James Tavernier and Ryan Donaldson had just one Premier League start between them.

“You just had to look at our bench at Aston Villa to see how stretched the squad is,” said Harper, whose saves stopped Villa adding to James Collins’ opener. “Injuries and suspensions are killing us really.

“When you have as small a squad as we do, you can’t really afford to be without three first-team players at the same time. We fancied our chances of getting something, but it undoubtedly became tougher when key men were out.

“To be without Kevin Nolan and Cheik Tioté at the weekend was massive for us. We also lost Shola over the weekend, and maybe that proved one too many big players to be missing.

“I think if we’d had those three players available, we would have caused a lot of problems for Aston Villa.