 Graeme Souness has told his shattered players that they cannot afford to feel sorry for themselves after Newcastle United's European campaign was brought to a devastating end in Portugal last night. And with a crippling list of injuries set to further limit the United manager's options this weekend, the Magpies will head to Cardiff with severe doubts over their ability to secure a place in the FA Cup final. On a punishing night in Lisbon, Newcastle conceded four goals in the second leg of their Uefa Cup quarter-final with Sporting and saw Jermaine Jenas, Celestine Babayaro, Titus Bramble and Charles N'Zogbia all suffer injuries of varying severity. That Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer are both suspended will leave Souness with a threadbare squad as he attempts to plot Manchester United's downfall in Sunday's semi-final. How his side respond to this demoralising defeat will be critical to the Scottish manager's efforts. "We must not feel sorry for ourselves," said the St James's Park boss, who knows a weekend defeat would spell a premature end to the club's campaign. "We're all very disappointed but we feel that certain things conspired against us. We had some boys out there doing men's jobs - it shows how thin our squad is but there's nothing we can do about it. We just have to take it on the chin and make sure we prepare properly for what will be a very difficult game at the weekend. "If we had managed to keep our starting XI on the pitch I wouldn't be sitting here telling this story - it would be a much different story. But that is what happened. We took some risks with players and it didn't pay off." Jenas (calf), Babayaro (hamstring) and Bramble (groin) are all rated major doubts for Sunday's trip to the Millennium Stadium, while N'Zogbia is not expected to play again this season after suffering a suspected fractured collar bone. So few players has he available to him that Laurent Robert - left out of the squad last night following his latest outspoken remarks - will travel to Cardiff and could yet start against the Red Devils. "I don't want to talk about him now, this is not the time to talk about Laurent Robert," said Souness, who confirmed that Dyer (who also suffered a worrying hamstring injury), Bowyer and N'Zogbia (who will have an X-ray this morning) are the only players who will not travel to Wales. Newcastle led 2-0 on aggregate in the tie when Dyer's 20th-minute opener doubled the advantage ensured by Alan Shearer's first-leg goal and, although Marius Niculae levelled the scores on the night five minutes before half-time, United were comfortable. That Dyer, Bramble and Jenas were all forced to retire prematurely did little to aid the visitors' cause and, as Sporting increased the pressure, the Magpies capitulated. Three goals in the final 19 minutes from Sa Pinto, Fabio Rochemback and Roberto Beto condemned the Tynesiders to their first European defeat of the campaign and ensured it will be Sporting who take on AZ Alkmaar for a place in a final which will be staged at their home stadium on May 18. In contrast, United are facing a bleak European future and the chances of the club having to play in the Intertoto Cup this summer have increased significantly. "I think we did an okay job in the circumstances," said Souness. "I know that 4-1 doesn't look like a great scoreline but look at what happened here. We looked good after scoring the first goal but we missed too many chances." The United squad will spend today in Lisbon before flying directly to Cardiff tomorrow morning. Souness has little time to lift spirits ahead of the daunting encounter with the Red Devils. "Picking myself up won't be a problem, I have been in this business for a long time," he said. Lifting his players may not be so easy. Dyer admitted: "If you concede four goals in any match, you don't deserve to win anything. We were comfortable but then we just blew a gasket. We shot ourselves in the foot and only have ourselves to blame. "The bookmakers had us down as favourites but the defending was not good enough and it cost us dearly in the end. We have just got to pick ourselves up quickly and improve considerably and hopefully get the rub of the green." Sporting boss Jose Peseiro, who had confidently predicted that his side would prevail, admitted that the victory represented his greatest achievement to date with the club. "Yes, but we have won nothing yet," he said. "We are just in the semi-final of an important European competition. "We are among the best in Europe and I am very proud of this victory, but if it was not for the players, if it was not for this great club, I would not be here today." | 
