By Tyne-Talk
March 17 2008

Birmingham City play host to Newcastle United tomorrow night in the 8pm kick off. Both teams will be looking to walk away with 3 points, as a win will re-jig the bottom of the table. Birmingham are currently 17th in the Premier League, just 2 places and 2 points below Newcastle and both teams are vying for 14th place by the end of the evening. (Lines ups at the bottom of the article).

Should Birmingham grasp a home win they will be lifted into 14^th place, pushing Newcastle down into 16^th, however if Newcastle take 3 points back to the north east with them they will take 14^th place.

Birmingham have the upper hand on goals scored, whilst Newcastle have a poor record when it comes to goals conceded, something Alex McLeish's men will be looking to exploit at St Andrews. In addition to goals scored and conceded, Newcastle are yet to win a game since travelling to Fulham on 15^th December 2007, which means no wins under the management of Kevin Keegan. In their last 6 games Newcastle have lost 5 and drawn just 1. In these games they have conceded 17 goals and scored just 3. Birmingham have conceded just 11 but scored 10.

Newcastle welcome back Joey Barton, whose bail conditions prevented him from participating in last weekend's defeat at Anfield. There is also the possibility of seeing Mark Viduka return to the pitch after being sidelined since January 2^nd when he sustained calf and hamstring injuries. His return however may mean that Obafemi Martins who is still pushing for a regular starting place is cast aside. Steve Harper remains in goal.

Keegan said of Viduka, who is yet to feature in his side:

"When you have got a small squad, like we have, one player coming back makes a big difference, and especially a forward as we haven't been scoring enough goals. He brings with him a goal threat different to any other player we have got at this football club.

He can score goals in tight areas and he can hold the ball up well. He is very, very experienced. He is on the road back, and at this moment in time, provided we don't get any setbacks, will be available for selection on Monday night.

He knows what it takes to score goals in the Premier League because that is what he has done consistently over the years. I am just delighted to have him back. We nearly got him there about four weeks ago, but when he got to the crucial stage, he started to have minor problems.

They are all behind him now, I think. He is ready to now play a part in what is a nine-game season for us."

Newcastle are without James Milner who could be missing for up to 3 weeks with a foot injury, Stephen Carr (hamstring) Shay Given (groin) and Emre (calf) will all miss out.

Birmingham are without any new injuries but will lose Martin Taylor as he serves the final instalment of his 3 match ban imposed after his horror challenge on Arsenal player Eduardo. He remains their only absent player.

The teams are as follows:

Birmingham:

Taylor, Kelly, Murphy, Jaidi, Ridgewell, Johnson, Muamba, Larsson, McSheffrey, Forssell, McFadden

Subs:

Doyle, Parnaby, nafti, Zarate, Jerome

Newcastle:

Harper, Faye, Enrique, Beye, Taylor, Geremi, Barton, Butt, Viduka, Martins, Owen

Subs:

Forster, Cacapa, N'Zogbia, Smith, Carroll

Birmingham V Newcastle - TEAM NEWS

Discussion started by TyneTalk (IP Logged), 17/03/2008 19:33

TyneTalk
17/03/2008 19:33

Birmingham V Newcastle - TEAM NEWS

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tunyc
17/03/2008 19:35

4-3-3, eh? At least Martins looks to get a start. I do worry that we're going to get molested in midfield, though. We'll see.

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roysta
17/03/2008 19:39

Smith dropped (Sm140) about time!

Martins Viduka and Owen up top - gotta have Brums defenders kacking it a bit

COME ON LADS

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T00N B0Y
17/03/2008 19:40

we will win. Martins, vid, and owen with martins like an AM, he will run the field and hopefully destroy all their plays out of the back reulting in them relying on the long ball and we will contain that threat and work on fast attack up front the slide through Owen to hopefully finish this time!

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MissC
17/03/2008 19:41

This is the happiest I have been with a line up in a long while.

Still not wanting to see N'Zogbia sat on the bench for the whole game though

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T00N B0Y
17/03/2008 19:44

I see him playing his part as a "SUPER SUB" if lack of goals. I think with Owen, Viduka and Martins Keegan figure we should have the offense covered and if not then Zog is on at half or 60 mins to change the game. I think we will still see him then and Viduka off cause of lack of fitness. Owen Martins and Zog would be some pace together! I feel really good about this line up. Hope there is a connection.

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tunyc
17/03/2008 19:51

It's 4-3-3, with Oba on the left up top, Toon Boy.

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T00N B0Y
17/03/2008 19:56

not what I see happening, but if it is that I still like it. But like to see Martins AM and Viduka and Owen as ST

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