Barclays Premiership - Match 24
 

Season 2008-2009

NEWCASTLE UNITED

 v

sunderland
  Date: Monday 2nd February 2009
  Venue: St James' Park
  Kick Off: 12:30am (AEST)
  Referee: Howard Webb (Yorkshire)
  Australian Live TV: Foxsports 1
  Internet Live TV Coverage: Check http://livefooty.doctor-serv.com closer to kick off
  Weather Forecast: 4c
 

 
  Betting:
  Brought to you in association with
 
Newcastle win Draw sunderland win
$2.50 $3.25 $2.80
   
  Squads:
  Newcastle (from): Harper, Forster, Krul, Enrique, Bassong, Coloccini, Taylor, Edgar, Duff, Gutierrez, Nolan, Lovenkrands, Geremi, Donaldson, Donninger, Godsmark, Xisco, Carroll, LuaLua, Ranger.

Sunderland (from): Fulop, Gordon, Colgan, Bardsley, McCartney, Ferdinand, Collins, Whitehead, Malbranque, Leadbitter, Tainio, Richardson, Edwards, Yorke, Reid, Cisse, Jones, Murphy, Healy, Chopra.
   
  Pre-game Comments:

Manager Joe Kinnear:
"Nicky will be back and will captain the side. To have his experience available to us again is a huge boost, he's been terrific for me this season."

Newcastle defender Steven Taylor:
"It hurt the players and the fans losing there earlier in the season. We've got to try to make up for that on Sunday in front of our own fans.

It's massive. I know that word is used a lot but this really is. I'll be fired up for the game more than any other.

I don't care if we win ugly, as long as we get the three points."

New Newcastle forward Peter Lovenkrands:
"I've played in the Glasgow derby which is very famous and I've managed a few goals in those games.

We know this game will be intense and it will be very exciting for me. Hopefully if I get the chance to play I can get a goal.

I also managed to score for Schalke in the derby against Dortmund, so I'm hoping I can make it three out of three."

Newcastle goalkeeper Stephen Harper:
"We have to come out of the blocks on Sunday with 52,000 people roaring us on. Last we went 1-0 up early on and won so I hope we can do the same.

It makes Sunday a massive game, it's always the biggest of the season, especially when it's at home. It's a huge game for both of the teams."

Sunderland boss Ricky Sbragia:
"It would be nice to win. I felt the joy of our win over Newcastle in the home game and we know how important this fixture is.

When you go away for a derby, you want to produce your best form. The fans will give us magnificent support and we really want to do our best, we must give our all."
   
  Match Stats:
 
 @ St James' Park
 All Time: Newcastle 30 wins sunderland 18 wins Draws 16
 Premier League Only: Newcastle 3 wins sunderland 2 wins Draws 2
   
  Last Season's Result
 
 Newcastle United 2-0 sunderland
  Owen 4
  Owen 45(p) 		 
Match Report
   
  Form - Last 5 games
 
 Newcastle United
PREM L 1-2 Man City
PREM L 0-3 Blackburn Rovers
FAC3 L 0-1 Hull City
PREM D 2-2 West Ham
FAC3 D 0-0 Hull City
 
 sunderland
PREM W 1-0 Fulham
PREM D 0-0 Blackburn Rovers
PREM L 1-2 Aston Villa
PREM D 1-1 Middlesbrough
PREM W 2-1 Bolton W
   
 

Match Preview:
  The 141st (130th in the league) Tyne Wear derby between Newcastle United and sunderland takes places this Sunday night.

Newcastle go into the game looking for their 50th league victory over sunderland, and looking to prevent the mackems recording its first double over Newcastle since 1966/67 season.

Newcastle new boy Kevin Nolan will go straight into the side for Sunday's derby match with sunderland after completing his move from Bolton Wanderers- and will partner suspension-free Nicky Butt in midfield.

Goalkeeper Shay Given has been given permission to talk to Manchester City - although he would not have played as he undergoes treatment for a knee injury - while Charles N'Zogbia who is on the verge of joining Wigan will not feature.

Michael Owen could be sidelined for up to six weeks with ankle ligament damage, while midfielder Joey Barton could be out for as long as eight weeks after limping off against Man City.

 Also still missing are Obafemi Martins (groin/abdominal), Alan Smith (ankle), Claudio Cacapa (knee), Habib Beye (knee), Mark Viduka (groin), Danny Guthrie (hamstring), Nacho Gonzalez (who knows!), Tamas Kadar (leg), and Shola Ameobi (ankle).

 Any visit of the great unwashed from down the road always provokes great emotion, passion, and memories.  Memories such as the Beardsley hat trick on New Years’ Day, the recent 4-1 away win, and who could forget Liam O’Brien.

Those memories resurrect the pure raw excitement that is a derby day victory.  There is no greater feeling for a Newcastle United fan, then to witness a victory over the mackems.

And victory is what we all want, what we all need and quite frankly what the clubs needs to kick start its relegation battle.

Newcastle have been in freefall since Christmas, following the Boxing Day defeat away Wigan, the club have not won in seven games, picking up only one point and leaving it dangerously placed in 17th place.

Defeat by two goals or more would see Newcastle move into the relegation zone, a feat bad enough at the best of times but for it to happen at the hands of the mackems would see us hit the biggest low of a generation.

Who is going to win us this match then and who are our key players?

Andy Carroll has done a decent job leading the line in recent weeks, two goals in four starts is a good return for the young Gateshead lad. He has already scored against sunderland at reserve team level so what odds on the Geordie doing that at senior level.

Regardless of the fact that he will be making his debut, Kevin Nolan will bring a fresh positive feel to the team having not been around the doom and gloom of the last six weeks. At Bolton he liked to get forward from midfield and had a reputation for goals. His energy will be a welcome factor in the midfield.

As with any Newcastle team it would seem, the defence hold the key to success. Shocking defending has plagued recent games, with several goal conceded very cheaply. Coloccini will no doubt drop back into the centre defence alongside either Taylor and Bassong, but the entire back four need to be on their game and not give the opposition any encouragement with poor defending.

"Support the Toon - it's your duty." is a famous phrase used by one of Toon Army's more legendary figures and nufc.com have quite rightly borrowed the phrase.

The Toon Army are vital in this game, a positive support of the team will be needed to try and inject some confidence among the players. Forget Mike Ashley in the stand, he is not our concern today, it is the red and white shite from down the road who need to be put in their place!

Keep the faith everyone.
 
HOWAY THE LADS!!!

 By Row 'S' Army
 
  Did you know?
- Newcastle United have not failed to score in the last nine home Tyne Wear derby games, the last time being the ill fated Second Division Play Off Semi Final defeat.