TIM KRUL insists Newcastle United are not becoming over reliant on Loic Remy despite having failed to score in six games without the striker.

Remy missed Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to bottom club Fulham with a calf injury and the Frenchman is likely to be missing for at least the next two games against Crystal Palace and Everton.

The 26-year-old’s goals have been an integral part of Newcastle’s success this season with the striker having netted 13 times in 26 appearances since arriving on a season-long loan from Queens Park Rangers last summer.

However, when Remy has been absent, the Magpies have struggled in front of goal with Saturday’s defeat the sixth game in which they have failed to score without their marksman. Alan Pardew’s side have also failed to win in another three games that Remy hasn’t started with fellow forwards Papiss Cisse, Shola Ameobi and more recently Luuk de Jong struggling to replicate his form.

Worryingly, the Magpies also look a different side without their top scorer and that will be a concern for Pardew given the increasing likelihood that the former Marseille man will not be at St James’ Park next season.

He has stressed a desire to play at one of Europe’s top five or six clubs and has been coy when asked if he would like to remain on Tyneside beyond the end of the season, but Krul insists the side are not taking his goals for granted.

“No (we’re not over relying on him), but he’s a big player,” said Krul, who admitted he was at fault for Ashkan Dejagah’s winner at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

“He’s a world class striker and it’s the same for every team. If you’re missing a world class striker like Loic it’s going to hurt you and today missing Debuchy also did. I’m not saying we don’t have the quality to replace them but you do miss that extra bit of quality.”

The Magpies also missed Mathieu Debuchy at the weekend with Fulham’s goal coming from their left side. The right-back, who is nursing a groin problem, could also be absent for a few weeks and having had other key players out at other stages of the season, Krul admits the team has struggled to cope.

He said: “We’ve had key players out at different times and it shows how much of an impact missing those players has. (Chiek) Tiote, (Fabricio) Coloccini, Debuchy, (Yoan) Gouffran. They’re massive players for us and unfortunately we haven’t coped well without them.”

Pardew served the first of his seven-match suspension on Saturday, where he was forced to watch the game from the team hotel in London.

The Magpies boss will be banished for the games against Palace and Everton, but despite falling to defeat without their leader on the touchline, Krul believes being at home will compensate.

“At home it will be different,” the Dutchman said. “It didn’t go for us at Fulham, but hopefully it will at St James’ Park.”

Meanwhile, Pardew could face competition to land Remy Cabella in the summer with Italian duo Roma and Lazio both keeping an eye on the situation.

Cabella has been promised a move away from Montpellier in the summer by president Louis Nicollin and it appears Newcastle will have a fight on their hands to land the midfielder.

The Magpies had an attempt to sign the 24-year-old knocked back in January, but it is understood they will try again in the summer.