Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan has made two changes to the side which was beaten at Aston Villa two weeks ago, as Abdoulaye Faye Faye comes in for Claudio Cacapa at center-back and Charles N’Zogbia returns to the team.
Senegal defender Faye starts his first game since his his return from the African Cup of Nations while Cameroon midfielder Geremi returns to the bench.
Stephen Carr (hamstring), Emre (calf) and Oba Martins (ankle) are all injured and it looks like Charles will start at left back. Spaniard Jose Enrique is not even on the bench today.
Shay Given comes back in goal after recovering from his groin strain and Steve Harper returns to the bench on 99 appearances for Newcastle. Duff and Milner will start on the wings.
That means both Smith and Butt maintain their places, even after lack-luster performances the last few games. Andy Carroll and Shola Ameobi are on the the belch, which shows Keegan wants to attack the Red Devils today. Surprisingly Mark Viduka is not even among the substitutes.
Manchester United are without Ryan Giggs but start in a 4-3-3 formation with Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez up front.
Wallsend born Michael Carrick starts for Manchester United in midfield.
TEAMS
Newcastle United: Shay Given, Habib Beye, Charles N’Zogbia, Abdoulaye Faye, Steven Taylor, Joey Barton, Nicky Butt, James Milner, Damien Duff, Alan Smith, Michael Owen (c)
Subs: Claudio Cacapa, Steve Harper, Andy Carroll, Shola Ameobi, Geremi
Manchester United: Edwin Van Der Sar, Patrice Evra, Rio Ferdinand (c), Wes Brown, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Nemanja Vidic, Michael Carrick, Nani, Darren Fletcher, Carlos Tevez
Subs: Anderson, Louis Saha, Paul Scholes, John O’Shea, Tomasz Kusczak
Referee: Chris Foy
Attendance: tbc
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102 responses so far ↓
1 Eric // Feb 23, 2008 at 16:53
Have seen team. Disappointed. Losing faith and confidence in Keegan now. KK is Allardyce without the overcoat and chewing gum. My hopes are fast disappearing.
2 Andy1 // Feb 23, 2008 at 16:54
Is Enrique injured? Hasn’t played for a while and for me he should be first choice left back. We need N’zogbia in advanced areas. Ronaldo V N’zogbia - it’s only going one way.
3 Andy1 // Feb 23, 2008 at 16:55
That Man U team is scary!
4 Hadrian // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:02
eric , what do you expect? he’s not overflowing with choices .
enrique must be really really shite in training .
and ameobi and carroll on the bench over viduka?
coincidence viduka and jose are our two fatties?
P.S Ed , i really like how you have the site looking now , i remember its humble begginings and now you look like your flying
nice one .
5 azvael // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:14
Keegan love english player. So all english player would be either on the bench or on the field if available. Taylor, Butt, Smith, Owens, Carroll, Milner, Barton will always be in the team before all other even if all others are better player. Even Martins would be bench when he come back becauz Smith is English!!!!
6 ToonKing // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:15
dissapointing team, hope we don’t get trashed again…..
7 Elliott // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:16
Yeah ok
8 Baker // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:17
Puzzled! What the hell KK. No Viduka but Owen Smith up front with Barton in the middle.
Viduka will leave in the summer!!!
this is madness.
I hate to say it - but relegation may do this team some good.
9 Magjp // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:18
Oooh here we go again…
10 Tom_Toon // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:21
Where is Enrique ffs
11 tommyy // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:33
i knew butt and smith would start, its f*cking ridiculous.
12 ObaFan2 // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:38
Faye makes the defence so much stronger…….
13 tommyy // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:39
Faye is a quality player. I never realised he was so good.
14 Magjp // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:40
i have given up complaining about Butt and Smith.
just lets go wid da flow
15 Edd Case // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:43
Agreed, Faye looks brilliant today.
Still, we are lambs to the slaughter - only a matter of time before we concede.
16 Magjp // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:43
damn
17 Magjp // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:44
Nzog is not a defender!
18 tommyy // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:44
oh dear, and so it begins.
19 ObaFan2 // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:44
idd
20 azvael // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:45
N’gozia fault!!!!!! this goal !!! he cant defend
21 Edd Case // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:45
i knew it.
22 Toon_boy // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:45
thats why zog isn’t a left back!!!!
23 Tripp // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:47
I wonder what Jose’s deal is. Wish we knew something, it’s frustrating wondering why he’s always left out of the team. Must be sullen tw@t or something to be left out of the team so consistently.
24 Edd Case // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:48
N’Zogbia having yet another defensive nightmare…
Dear oh dear,…who’s that other player we have that can play at Left Back? No, not Carr…
25 Magjp // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:49
Nzog, Faye on the yellow!!! how is this gonna end.
26 azvael // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:49
The Ref f***ing suck!!!
27 Edd Case // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:49
“down with the mackems, we’re going down with the mackems….”
28 Macca // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:50
Woeful defending, you can’t do that with the likes of Rooney and Ronaldo there. Look what happens when you do.
29 Edd Case // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:50
And now Faye’s been booked…
4-0? 5-0? 6-0?
Humiliating just doesnt cover it.
30 tommyy // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:50
Why the f*ck will he not play our best possible side?? ARRRGGGHHH
31 Andy1 // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:51
Milner should have squared it to Duff - it would have been a goal
32 Toon_boy // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:52
we arent playing bad at all! Keegan knows how to make a team attack anyway!! Its decent football lads
33 ObaFan2 // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:54
cmon this is Man U an established team and fighting for the Premiership…..
So far we’ve played ok but they are a class team, I hate to say !
34 tommyy // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:54
“Charles N’Zogbia gets caught out ball-watching too often - but he’s a young lad, and he’s not a defender.”
BBC 5 Live analyst Steve Stone
Why is he playing there? he’s an attacking midfielder! I hate us being so inept!
35 ObaFan2 // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:55
ohh Vidic
painful lmao
36 Edd Case // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:55
This ref is an absolute cock
37 azvael // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:55
I would have put edgar at LB!!!! At least he score last years against Man u!!! n’Gozia need to be LW or on the bench!!!!
38 Magjp // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:56
is Viduka injured?
39 Andy1 // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:57
Barton you idiot!! What was that - have a look son.
40 ObaFan2 // Feb 23, 2008 at 17:58
Zog ain’t a happy bunny so why put him in lb, just gonna drive him outta the club.
I agree Edgar may have been a better choice.
41 ObaFan2 // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:00
Zog skinned again!
42 Andy1 // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:00
Edgar would have been a better choice!?!
It’s so stupid that we are even thinking about playing an inexperienced young centre back at lb.
Where has our 6 mil left back gone?
43 Magjp // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:00
I guess Fergie has seen the weakness of our defence and thats why we have Nzog against Nani.
44 ObaFan2 // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:01
Only suggested Edgar cos I though Enrique was injured !
45 Magjp // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:02
ooooohhh
46 ObaFan2 // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:04
omg too easy !!!!!
47 Andy1 // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:04
I know. But it just seems bizarre that N’Zogbia has had to play so much at lb this season when we have paid a lot for a lb in the summer.
If he leaves then it will probably because he is annoyed at playing out of position and it will make it frustrating.
Shit 2-0.
48 azvael // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:04
Our middlefield doesnt help our defense either!!!!!
49 ToonKing // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:06
fook’ this…….
50 Edd Case // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:07
What did people expect?
Seriously, our team is so bloody dreadful, we will be LUCKY to come out of this game without conceding another 6.
51 Tom_Toon // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:07
steven taylor pissing bout again/
52 ObaFan2 // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:08
azvael, totally agree.
2 easy goals for them……. whatever next !
Smith again is a waste, Barton ? and no fire power when we do get in a good position.
53 Magjp // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:08
Oooh this is painful lads.
Its 3am here in Japan and I should be sleeping or even in a Club somewhere…
who are we having next?
whats our table position again?
54 ToonKing // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:09
we can’t even buy a goal atm, were are in serious trouble as of now and my belief in KK is seriously starting to shake…… plus we have a shite team….
i’m depressed again…great…
55 Macca // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:10
The defense is horrific, the mid isn’t helping either.
Well it’s only 2-0, not 6.
56 Edd Case // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:10
I’m not even going to bother watching the next half, I’m off out to the cinema to watch something worth watching.
When I come back in, no doubt we’ll have been hammered yet again…
How long can this humiliation continue?
What the feck have us Geordies ever done wrong to deserve this?
57 Michael // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:10
I am pragmatic enough to say “Only what we deserve.”
So much heart but no “TACTICS” This is what I have been saying since Keegan was appointed.
My adage comes to mind”It is like playing a game of chess with no knowledge but all the heart in the world”
Heart compliments ability. If you have ability like Ronaldinho but no heart, you can still play very well. If you have all the heart in the world, Keegan, Alan smith but no ability, all you get is, tripe.
Wasting your time.
58 Callum // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:12
Smith useless again
Enrique who?
59 Jamie // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:13
Butt and Smith do jack shit!! Duff is small and slow!
Jeez we may aswell put carrol up front, with edgar in left back to take off smith and duffer.
Out team lacks PACE and ATHLETICISM.
Look at the United side!! look at it, POWER at the back, pace all over the pitch, its not rocket science!!!
God summer can’t come quicker enough, we may actually sign some players that have these credentials, we are getting played off the park through share Power and Pace. Wake up and small the coffee Keegan, Ashley and co, you can learn something today from watching United, we got beat 6-0 and today looks 0-6. FFS wake up!!
60 ObaFan2 // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:13
Zog just ball watching for their forst goal !!!
61 Magjp // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:16
Michael,
I agree with you. Problem is neither you nor I have the power to make those decisions.
I wonder what they see in Smith (Both BSA and KK) that we cant see.
62 Elliott // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:17
2 points.
Every time Given releases the ball he sends it long and gives man u the ball back. ZZZZzzzzzzzzzz
Milner is a shocking winger lets players make runs then checks, forcing the strikers/runners to check and then sends a cross over everyone’s heads.Zzzzzzzzzzzz
63 daiv // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:17
WHY SMITH AND BUTT?
SMITH NEVER SCORES.
WHY NZOG AT LEFT BACK WHEN WE HAVE £6M ENRIQUE.
WHERE, MOST OF ALL, IS THE DUKE. PROBLEM THERE?
KEEGAN IS WORSE THAN SAM. TAXI FOR MR KEEGAN.
64 thelongshanks // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:18
Keep faith lads,hopefully gud secong half for the toon.carrol on for smith.
65 Hadrian // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:19
what on earth were we doing letting those goals in . first zoggy falls asleep , then taylor thinks he’s a figure skater .
66 elpinchudo // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:19
‘It’s so stupid that we are even thinking about playing an inexperienced young centre back at lb.’
quite funny. i remember Edgar scoring against Manu last season … so he must have some experience
67 Elliott // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:20
At the moment I’m thinking relegation might be our best option as long as Ashley stays because we need to get rid of 75% of our squad and start again. Come back up in a positive frame of mind playing good football having shed ourselves of our tired disinterested squad of has beens and overhyped youngsters.
68 jj // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:20
see shitty shays in goal again he is rubbish
69 azvael // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:21
ahah Figure skater. Totally agree.
70 daiv // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:23
Keegan will always play Smith and Butt. For that, we deserve relegation and KK can be on his way £10M richer. He’s lost the plot poor lad.
71 steve // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:23
I hate these setanta sports commentators - not looking good, no shots, no defence
72 Michael // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:24
What is good football? We just want winning football. There are no points for how well our players dance on the pitch. We need winning football. To hell with entertainment, in my opinion winning is entertaining.
73 Johann // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:24
Had I already mentioned I love given?
74 Hadrian // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:24
never mind blaming keegan , it’s the players .
cant belive we are blaming keegan already , number dont mean shit if your supports all negative , are we the best fan’s in the league … or the worst?
i think our glories support is a myth we back up with full attendace figures.
75 Macca // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:26
Given injured. Harper on.
76 elpinchudo // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:26
think Milner is a great winger. have a mate who keeps repeating he doesn’t have pace. but i’m really impressed by him. as i am with Duff … as sir Bobby Robson mentioned though; we desperate for pace …
also, we do not just loose all the long balls from Given, but we loose any long ball …
I think Smith ain’t no good. anyway no better than other strikers we have. what does he contribute. nothing, not even defending… Barton plays shit today and Butt is getting too old. Bring in Caroll. put the Zog towards midfield and yep, who will play LB?
any news about the Duke?
77 daiv // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:28
Hadrian
What have we to be positive to be about? Tell me. Useless players and a manager who cannot shape a defence and get best out of players. Things have been getting worse for 5 years. Tell me the silver lining.
78 Magjp // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:28
no one warming up?
79 daiv // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:29
Oh and by the way,
anybody think Given is finished?
80 Andy1 // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:35
Taylor? What are you doing?
81 steve // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:35
god - our whole team is a joke - we’re foooked for sure
82 Johann // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:36
Given is definitely finished, at least the top level
83 Hadrian // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:36
manager who cant shape a defence ? the sun tell you that one ?
this is sam’s team , nearly half the starting 11 are player he brought in in the short time he was here .
84 brad // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:36
3-0 well i think we all saw that coming
85 Michael // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:36
I am glad you your opinions about keegan are becoming more similar to those of mine. Must we lose 6 7 games before you see? Obviously I am no prophetic visionary but I can see crap a mile away, and when Keegan was appointed, It was too close for comfort.
Ashley bought time from the fans when he brought Keegan, knowing this would bring the masses in while he was looking to sell the club. No one would buy the club if the fans were not attending. Keegan was brought to buy 7 -8 games and if Ashley did not find a suitable buyer, he would buy more time by getting Shearer to join Keegan Bringing you simple minded fans back. Simple minded I say because you could not see it.
We deserve to be relegated. Hopefully Keegan keeps up his record of resigning.
86 Magjp // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:37
Caroll for Smith?
87 toon4lyf // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:37
smith is playin gud today the main problem is the centre midfield butt is simply not gud enough with no helpful attributes and he not defending barton is losin the ball constantly…..and nzogbia is clearly not a left bac if emre,martins and enrique wer playin a think we wud of won!!!
88 Magjp // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:39
so Smith plays in the mid? We are actualy back to BS erra
89 Hadrian // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:51
micheal your full of the same old cliches , id love to know what makes you more qualified than keegan to slate the man , you dont come across as old enough tobe out of school never mind call a man who shaped the modern version of this club , and every other club he’s been at .
honest do yourself a favor and give it a rest .
its remarkable that a manager is meant to part the red sea in his first few games at a club that has been going downhill for years .
90 Michael // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:57
I have not claimed to be more qualified than Keegan. Read all my narratives and if you can locate the one in which I explicitly or implicitly claimed to be more qualified than Keegan, I will eat my PC.
All I have pointed out is that Keegan is not qualified, he is useless. He said it himself “I do not know tactics”, When he left Man city, he said “He could not do this job, I do not have it”.
He said these words not me.
91 Michael // Feb 23, 2008 at 18:58
Faye goal: A championship goal for a championship side, no?
92 Michael // Feb 23, 2008 at 19:01
Our style of play under KEegan is Championship, no? Where does a Championship of football belong?
The championship.
Taxi for Keegan……..anyone??????
Hopefully after the game he resigns, I love this club but this is insufferable.
93 Edd Case // Feb 23, 2008 at 19:09
Guys, I was going out (and I still am) but I’ve had time to think.
In truth, we’ve lost to the probable Champions, again.
We didn’t get the luck we so desperately needed either.
BUT, apart from yet another shambolic show of hownot to defend, N’Zogbia, Smith, Barton, Butt - we actually played far better than under Sam.
We must start to have the balls to drop players like Smith, Butt, Barton - these players are hopeless.
When we do that, we will win matches.
94 ToonKing // Feb 23, 2008 at 19:11
oh my god………..
95 Edd Case // Feb 23, 2008 at 19:15
I thought we’d already found our lowest point…
FucI
96 Midd The Yid // Feb 23, 2008 at 19:17
wey hey
How you lot doing?
I’m going to Wembley tomorrow.
What you up to? Thinking of hanging yourselves?
97 Michael // Feb 23, 2008 at 19:20
Ed case: how do you measure your claims? What barometer have you used to measure our perfomance today. The only tangible barometer is the statistics. The stats say Big Sam was better, far better.
26 of the points we have are from big sam lest you forget. Keegan has had 6 games with the same players Sam had and Sam’s record of his first 5-6 games is far better then King Kev’s.
So know
98 elpinchudo // Feb 23, 2008 at 19:22
drop smith, he even did not look interested or he truely was out of position. think carrol looked alright when he came in … as i said butt is too old/slow. barton doesn’t look the part …
from now on, start to play the youngsters (carrol, lua lua, edgar) …
all these debate about keegan. man, give the man some time! he’ll get it right. we started well today, only defence looks too shaky … that’s where the confidence comes in. once we start scoring and winning, things will change. and i do c us win against blackburn. 2-o. carrol, owen.
and harper looks very good in goal
99 Michael // Feb 23, 2008 at 19:39
See what I cannot stand about you other Newcastle fans (elpinchudo), the league is not going to wait for us to get it right, we are facing relegation, where do you think we are going to get this time of which you speak?
100 hanzemre // Feb 23, 2008 at 20:16
Faye did well if no better. Congrats to him with his consolation goal.The one to keep for 1st 11 between now & the end of this shambolic season.
101 AdamCF // Feb 23, 2008 at 23:41
KK.. If you keep playing the same shit and expecting a different result then you don’t have an idea. Play the kids and get some game time into them. Time for Kadar, Lua Lua and Troisi to get a little more game time. I mean really, can they be any worse?
102 jj // Feb 24, 2008 at 0:05
your asking the man who last time around he got rid of the youth side to play the youths are u stupid he will never do that
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