Wilkinson has had a dreadful run of injuries since 2003

Wilkinson suffered suspected medial ligament damage after an innocuous tackle early in the second half saw him collide with team-mate Andy Buist.

Newcastle's medical staff will analyse the results over the weekend before making an announcement on Monday.

The injury has hit Wilkinson's hopes of returning for England in the autumn.

"Indications are that it's his medial ligament which is the lesser of the two evils," said Falcons director of rugby John Fletcher.

"It will be assessed once the bleeding and swelling has subsided."

England's next Test is against New Zealand on 5 November, but Wilkinson is unlikely to feature without a solid run of club form behind him.

Fletcher admitted Wilkinson's latest injury was a "huge blow" to the club.

"He got a twist and a bang on the knee when one of our players fell on him in the ruck," he added.

"He's a world-class player in a key position."

This new injury is the latest in a long line of problems that Wilkinson has had to endure since kicking England to World Cup glory in 2003.

He has had neck, groin, abductor, biceps and two knee ligament injuries and has not played for his country since that night in Sydney.

Wilkinson managed to make the Lions tour to New Zealand in the summer of 2005 but then suffered an inflamed appendix on a pre-season tour in Japan with the Falcons.

Before the start of the new Premiership season last weekend, Wilkinson said he had changed his kicking style in an attempt to end his injury nightmare.

But Wilkinson has now broken down in just the second match of the campaign and his latest injury was greeted by stunned silence as he failed to get up from the Kingston Park pitch.

He was replaced by teenage debutant Tim Visser, who went on to claim a last-minute try which gave Newcastle a 20-19 win.