Papiss Cisse an injury concern for Newcastle after flying to see specialist in Paris

Striker could miss some of the season run-in

Papiss Cissé has scored three late winners but may not start against Benfica (Getty Images)

Newcastle forward Papiss Cisse flew to Paris on Monday to see a specialist about a troubling rib injury that could sideline him before the end of the current campaign.

Cisse, Newcastle's second top scorer in the Premier League this season, after Demba Ba, picked up the injury during the club's Europa League quarter-final with Benfica.

He played through the pain in both the derby defeat to Sunderland and the draw with West Bromwich Albion at the weekend, but the problem led to him flying to Paris at the start of this week.

Cisse is hoping the advice will lead him to see through to the end of a season in which Newcastle are fighting relegation to the Championship. Alan Pardew has only Shola Ameobi as a recognised centre forward if the injury to Cisse worsens and he is unavailable for any of the club's remaining four games.

The Senegalese forward did train on both Monday and today with his team-mates, having flown straight back from France. The injury however, is a concern and will continue to be monitored by club staff in a bid to get the striker through the rest of the campaign.

Cisse has scored five goals in the last six games he has played for Newcastle at St James' Park and Pardew can ill afford to lose such a key figure with safety yet to be confirmed and with his side facing Liverpool on home soil on Saturday.