SPEED SLAMS PITCH

Welsh veteran Gary Speed has branded Newcastle United's St James' Park pitch as 'poor' and claimed that is has been ruining the standard of football played at the Magpies' home ground.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger slammed the pitch after the weekends 0-0 draw, claiming that it stopped his side from scoring.  Newcastle boss Sir Bobby Robson also condemned the playing surface.

As Newcastle prepare to take on PSV tonight in the second-leg of the UEFA Cup quarter final, Gary Speed warned:

"There are going to be games at St James' Park which are pretty scrappy and we're not going to see too much exciting football on a surface like that.

"The pitch is poor and that's no secret. It's bobbly and the uneven surface makes it very difficult to pass the ball.

"It's certainly not like the pitch in Eindhoven last week - but we are still winning games here and that's the important thing.

"Our home form breeds confidence and we've played well at St James' Park in 2004. Hopefully that record will work in our favour against PSV."

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