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
102 comments so far
steve
Feb 23, 2008 at 6:35 PM
Comment #81god – our whole team is a joke – we’re foooked for sure
Johann
Feb 23, 2008 at 6:36 PM
Comment #82Given is definitely finished, at least the top level
Hadrian
Feb 23, 2008 at 6:36 PM
Comment #83manager 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 .
brad
Feb 23, 2008 at 6:36 PM
Comment #843-0 well i think we all saw that coming
Michael
Feb 23, 2008 at 6:36 PM
Comment #85I 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.
Magjp
Feb 23, 2008 at 6:37 PM
Comment #86Caroll for Smith?
toon4lyf
Feb 23, 2008 at 6:37 PM
Comment #87smith 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!!!
Magjp
Feb 23, 2008 at 6:39 PM
Comment #88so Smith plays in the mid? We are actualy back to BS erra
Hadrian
Feb 23, 2008 at 6:51 PM
Comment #89micheal 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 .
Michael
Feb 23, 2008 at 6:57 PM
Comment #90I 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.
Michael
Feb 23, 2008 at 6:58 PM
Comment #91Faye goal: A championship goal for a championship side, no?
Michael
Feb 23, 2008 at 7:01 PM
Comment #92Our 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.
Edd Case
Feb 23, 2008 at 7:09 PM
Comment #93Guys, 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.
ToonKing
Feb 23, 2008 at 7:11 PM
Comment #94oh my god………..
Edd Case
Feb 23, 2008 at 7:15 PM
Comment #95I thought we’d already found our lowest point…
FucI
Midd The Yid
Feb 23, 2008 at 7:17 PM
Comment #96wey hey
How you lot doing?
I’m going to Wembley tomorrow.
What you up to? Thinking of hanging yourselves?
Michael
Feb 23, 2008 at 7:20 PM
Comment #97Ed 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
elpinchudo
Feb 23, 2008 at 7:22 PM
Comment #98drop 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
Michael
Feb 23, 2008 at 7:39 PM
Comment #99See 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?
hanzemre
Feb 23, 2008 at 8:16 PM
Comment #100Faye 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.
AdamCF
Feb 23, 2008 at 11:41 PM
Comment #101KK.. 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?
jj
Feb 24, 2008 at 12:05 AM
Comment #102your 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