No surprises in the Newcastle line-up as Keegan makes just one change from the side which was beaten at home to Blackburn with Charles N’Zogbia as expected replacing Joey Barton.
Alan Smith continues to partner captain Michael Owen up front with N’Zogbia partnering Nicky Butt in the center of midfield. This is the team we expected Keegan to play with the subs being the expected ones of Forster, Cacapa, Geremi, Martins and Carroll.
It remains to be seen how long Keegan keeps faith in striker Smith, who has yet to score for the Magpies. 🙁
Unfortunately Liverpool included both Torres and Gerrard for today’s game.
We had hoped both would be rested for the Inter Milan European Champions League tie in mid-week – no such luck.
TEAMS
Liverpool: Jose Reina, John Arne Riise, Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Yossi Benayoun, Xabi Alonso, Jermaine Pennant, Alvaro Arbeloa, Lucas, Jamie Carragher, Martin Skrtel
Subs: Charles Itandje, Sam Hyypia, Peter Crouch, Dirk Kuyt, Ryan Babel
Newcastle United: Steve Harper, Habib Beye, Jose Enrique, Steven Taylor, Abdoulaye Faye, Nicky Butt, Charles N’Zogbia, James Milner, Damien Duff, Michael Owen, Alan Smith
Subs: Fraser Forster, Oba Martins, Claudio Cacapa, Andy Carroll, Geremi
Referee: Peter Walton
Attendance: tbc
198 comments so far
Jamie
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:15 PM
Comment #161Smith and butt are not good enough for the championship!!! shit better get to div 1 before they go!
Michael
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:16 PM
Comment #162Sam did not Concede this many goals in all the games in which he was in charge. Keegan does not learn, give us five more minutes and we will have conceded another. Look we have lost the game so put Martins ans see how he plays with Michael owen, experiment with the rest of this game. Try different things KEegan for crying out loud the same side, the same no tactics the same results is he dyslexic?
Jamie
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:18 PM
Comment #163I don’t think Keegan will learn, he needs time yes, but for christ sakes man, why o why are you not starting Martins!
Jamie
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:18 PM
Comment #164Common Man City!! we need you to score!
brad
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:19 PM
Comment #165duff for martins wtf
Jamie
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:20 PM
Comment #166OMG Smith still not off for Martins!! Duff has gone.. WTF
Obafan
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:20 PM
Comment #167Our misery all started back in January;
1. SA got the sack without a replacement being lined up
2. KK is the new manager; I did not want him, but I also got carried away when he entered the stadium against Stoke.
3. KK starts with 0-0 against a very poor Bolton
4. Tough fixtures coming on, but we aren’t able to give 2 descent passes
5. KK does his thing cause he is the Messiah, but in fact he is draggin us into relegation. All his memories are fading away; if you ask me now about KK; I will not answer with great manager for us, no I will say that is the tactical loser that got us into relegation battle.
I HATE THAT SMITH, WHY OH WHY DO THEY LET HIM PLAY! I REALLY WONDER HOW THE OTHER PLAYERS FEEL AVBOUT THAT! IF NEXT WEEK HARPER IS SUSPENDED KK WILL PUT HIM BETWEEN THE POSTS. SO FRUSTRATING;
Now he brings on Oba, way too late you stupid pig. Then he will say Martins hasn’t got an impact so next game on the bench. KK you are a f*cking loser IMO. Go away and leave the club ASAP. You are erasing you fantastic past, but you are past!!!
Kaz
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:20 PM
Comment #168finally…martins
Michael
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:21 PM
Comment #169Smith for MArtins Not Duff, Keegan is lost in this he really is lost in this modern age of football. I will be first to admit things were not great with Sam but in the same breath, they were certainly not this bad nowhere near this Bad.
The black in the blacknwhite
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:21 PM
Comment #170Martins on for Duff
Smith still on the pitch… your thoughts
Toon King maube we can do a japanese sucide pact
this is all bullshit-were being whiped every week
big pea ov the weab
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:22 PM
Comment #17116/1 looks a tasty price to be winning the championship next season
Kaz
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:22 PM
Comment #172Give smith a break. He is trying his very best. Liverpool is too strong with el nino and gerrard on form. And this is anfield.
Michael
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:24 PM
Comment #173Well said Obafan, What annoys me here is some people are saying it would be good for us to go to the championship then get players out and new players in. I WANT TO GO TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP, I DO NOT WANT MY NEWCASTLE UNITED TO BE RELEGATED!!!!!!!!
azvael
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:24 PM
Comment #174Reading Score!!!!1
brad
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:27 PM
Comment #175reading are wining well we are really f**ed now and WE all no it
big pea ov the weab
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:27 PM
Comment #176reading 1-0 were going down us like wot a liberty
The black in the blacknwhite
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:27 PM
Comment #177f***k yeah, i dont want us in the championship
that place can be live quick sand- very hard to pull yourself out and when u return your scared for going down in the first place
i can do without relegation thank very much im going to sleep and cry somewhere
Michael
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:28 PM
Comment #178I agree with the black in the black and white, Every week we are thrashed not beaten 1 – 0 or 2- 0. We are being thrashed and I think the tactical adroitness of Benitez is on display here. When Newcastle come to town teams use us to improve their goal difference. No please guys please we must just admit that Keegan is out of his depth here.
Please just admit it.
brad
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:28 PM
Comment #179reading are winning WE are f**ked and we all no it
Steve_48
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:29 PM
Comment #180Bloody hell a shot on target from Martins!
ToonKing
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:30 PM
Comment #181jesus Oba ………brilliant…
Martins is slapping KK from every direction…….
Hadrian
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:31 PM
Comment #182oba’s a f**kin superstar i tell ya !
Michael
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:31 PM
Comment #183This kid is electric, you know he fits Keegans model, no brain just effort.
Jamie
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:32 PM
Comment #184Cheers Man City you bunch of Cu*ts!!
Our luck though for christ sakes.
Last week two last minute goals, both against us with Reading and Blackburn, now Reading winning again cause Man City are without Richards and Dunne!!!
OMG our luck is the worst I know of!!
Even last week Birmingham play a depleted Spurs Cause of the Uefa Cup game which they lost anyway!!!
OMG!!!!!!!!!
Kaz
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:32 PM
Comment #185See that. Martins magic. He should play regularly
The black in the blacknwhite
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:32 PM
Comment #186THATS WHY MARTINS SHOULD BE F**KING PLAYING
PROPER STRIKER
Steve_48
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:33 PM
Comment #187Hard lines Martins, nice try
There was some talk ahead of the game as to why Rafa signed Torres and snubbed Owen, now you know why; Torres had a hand in all 3 goals again today, and Owen…..
toon4lyf
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:35 PM
Comment #188smith isnt doing that badd butt is much worse he is a good playerbut he doesnt deserve to start we desperatly need emre on the pitch
The black in the blacknwhite
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:38 PM
Comment #189I THINK WE SHOULD MAKE IT CLEAR THAT SMITH DOES NOT DESERVE TO BE IN THE TEAM
OUR INTELLIGENCE IS BEING TESTED THIS SEASON WITH THE DAFT fAT SAM AND NO TACTIC KING KEV
The black in the blacknwhite
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:42 PM
Comment #190THE FANS ARE FANTASTIC!!!!!!CAN YOU HEAR THEM!!!!
Foxy
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:47 PM
Comment #191HARPER and MARTINS only 2 NUFC players to stand out for us 2day!
Steve_48
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:50 PM
Comment #192Bloody Hell Reading have scored again, we need the unclean to lose tomorrow
Michael
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:52 PM
Comment #193This is what I have been arguing all season. This game is not one without intelligence. I understand managers have their own methods but to have no tactics is not acceptable.
TO hire a man who has not managed since 2004, watched a game since 2005 , who walked out on his past two jobs is unacceptable.
I hope to God he walks out after this showing. I would have taken more points out of the games of which Keegan has been in charge.
Kevin Keegan has been
The black in the blacknwhite
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:54 PM
Comment #194WHAT A PILE OF WANK
Steve_48
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:55 PM
Comment #195Thanks for the crack this afternoon lads, off to lick my wounds, reflect, and open some lager.
Thanks Ed for the articles, am interested in what your editorial makes of this one … 😉
ToonKing
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:55 PM
Comment #196well this was dreadful ……… see u guys next season at Burnley…
The black in the blacknwhite
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:57 PM
Comment #197I REALLY THOUGHT THAT aSHLEY HAD A REPLACEMENT WHEN WE SACKED sAM- I WANTED A EUROPEAN MANAGER- YOUNG OR OLD, ACCEPTED KING KEV, BECAUSE HE BTOUGHT US UP- I CAOULD NEVER DENY KEV- NO REAL TOON COULD
IT COULD BE POETIC JUSTICE THAT HE TAKES US DOWN tears tears tears
SuperShearer
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:59 PM
Comment #198I really don’t see us getting out of this one. I think we’ll go down. It will break my heart and the thought of it makes mer sick but I just don’t see our players caring enough to get us out. I hope I’m wrong and some crucial points against the teams around us could save us…..but otherwise…..:(