Newcastle striker Alan Shearer will have a scan on his knee this week to find out if his playing career is over.
Shearer, who retires at the end of the season, limped off in the 71st minute of Monday’s 4-1 win over Sunderland.
“I will just have to wait and see what the scan says,” said the 35-year-old.
“It does not look good. They think there might be a tear in the medial ligament and if that is the case then that will be it for me I am afraid.”
Shearer’s final game was set up to be the home match against Chelsea on Sunday 7 May and the former England captain admitted he did not want to finish his career prematurely.
“I will be bitterly disappointed if it is the end because there are three huge games left for us,” he added.
“We are sitting in seventh place now, which might get us into Europe and after what has been a tough season that would be a great achievement for everyone.
“I wanted to go the full distance, yes, but if I have to finish, then it’s not a bad way to finish, coming to your local enemies and scoring a goal that has helped us get a 4-1 win.”
Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder has not given up hope of Shearer returning before the season’s finale..
“We are not at that stage yet,” said Roeder. “You can talk about that maybe in a week’s time or four or five days’ time if it turns out that is the case.
“But I will remain positive there is a chance we will still get him back on the pitch, maybe in the very last game of the season.
“If we don’t, I suppose his memory of scoring then what would be his last goal would be a very, very happy one for different reasons.”
With 206 goals in 404 appearances Shearer is Newcastle’s record goalscorer. He scored a total of 379 goals in 733 appearances for Southampton, Blackburn and Newcastle and also scored 30 goals in 63 appearances for England.
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