Eddie Howe refuses to use absences as an excuse after Newcastle's defeat to Dortmund

A 2-0 loss in Germany leaves Newcastle bottom of a tightly contested Champions League Group G

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe applauds the fans following the Champions League defeat to Borussia Dortmund. PA

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe said he would not use his squad's growing injury list as an excuse after Tuesday's 2-0 defeat at Borussia Dortmund left his side bottom of their Champions League group.

Drawn into what has been described as this year's "group of death" alongside Dortmund, AC Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain, Newcastle started the campaign well with a goalless draw in Milan and a superb 4-1 win over PSG at St James' Park.

However, successive defeats to Dortmund mean Newcastle prop up Group G, although AC Milan's 2-1 win over PSG later on Tuesday night has kept the group wide open, with only a point separating the four teams.

Dortmund lead the group on seven points, followed by PSG on six, Milan with five, and Newcastle on four points.

Niclas Fullkrug opened the scoring for Dortmund midway through the first half on Tuesday, his first Champions League goal, before the impressive Julian Brandt sealed the game with a strike 11 minutes from time.

Howe's side were missing several first-team players through injury and suspension, which the manager said meant he had "lost the ability to make certain decisions".

"In a sense, I'm being forced to make certain decisions and pick certain teams," he said. "I'm not going to sit here and make excuses, that's what we have.

"We weren't far away tonight and I think us at our very best, even with the players we have out, is good enough."

Howe's side now face a difficult path to qualify for the knockout stages. Newcastle take on PSG away just three days after hosting Chelsea in the Premier League, while Milan will play at St James' Park three days after the Magpies take on Tottenham in London.

The manager told reporters "the game just came too quickly for us" after Saturday's 1-0 win over fellow Champions League participants Arsenal.

"After what the players have given in recent weeks, the game came too early."

Howe said it was "difficult to tell" if the team could still qualify for the knockout stages, but would "do our best to win our last few games".

"If the best version of ourselves turned up today, the result would have been different," he said.

"Today's task was huge for us and ultimately we weren't good enough."

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