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Newcastle's Haidara reveals career fear

Massadio Haidara departs on a stretcher following a horror challenge from Wigan's Callum McManaman © Getty Images

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Newcastle United defender Massadio Haidara has revealed he feared Callum McManaman's ugly tackle had ended his career and ruined his life.

The 20-year-old Frenchman was left writhing in pain after being scythed down by McManaman's two-footed tackle in in the first half of Wigan's 2-1 victory over Newcastle.

And the player and club feared for the worst, rushing the player back to Newcastle after the game to for further assessment. But despite the full extent of the injury being unknown until next week, ESPN understands Haidara has escaped serious injury.

However, the club is still in the dark as to how long the recovery process will take. And after being given the good news, it did not take the former Nancy player long to take his wrath out on the man who put him on the sidelines.

Haïdara said he found it "hard to swallow" that McManaman will receive no punishment from the FA.

"I don't understand. His tackle could have ended my career and ruined my life but in the end he will play football before me," Haidara told The Sun.

"In that moment I was really, really angry with him. I thought he had stopped my career.

"Now I feel differently and just hope this will give him a lesson and that next time he will know how to stop himself."

McManaman escaped both a caution and suspension from the match referee and the Football Association respectively, with the issue raising doubts about the procedures in place to protect players.

And Haidara agreed that more needs to be done to curb dangerous tackles in the game.

"We have to protect the players. I don't want to change the physical mentality, pace and commitment of football in England but we can't tolerate tackles like this," he said.

It is believed Haidara has escaped serious injury, but he will not rush his return. "I feel the need to be cautious and don't want to go back too fast," he said. "I will be apprehensive."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.