By Matthew Jones
April 21 2004

Newcastle United will go into tomorrow nights UEFA Cup Semi-Final, first-leg match at home to Marseille nursing a host of injury-hit stars!

Newcastle United will go into tomorrow nights UEFA Cup Semi-Final, first-leg match at home to Marseille nursing a host of injury-hit stars!

Injury list:

Ameobi
Bramble
Bellamy
Bowyer
Jenas
Dyer (or is he?)

It was reported on Sky Sports News yesterday, that midfielder Kieron Dyer would miss the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury, but Dyer seems confident and willing to make a comeback THIS campaign!

Speaking to the Journal, he said:

"If the pain dies down with a couple of days rest than I will want to play. Every game is massive now and I want to play through the pain.

"The medical staff want me to have a proper rest, but we've not got time for rests at this stage of the season. Because the games are coming thick and fast I just want to play - it is so important for the club.

"I want to see Newcastle qualify for the Champions League and I want to see them win the UEFA Cup. If I can patch myself up and play through the pain then I will and I've told the manager that.

"Obviously I worry about Euro 2004, especially because of what happened to me just before the World Cup in 2002. I want to go to a major championship fully fit this time.

"But my immediate concern is Newcastle, there are massive games ahead for us. It is the crunch time of the season and I don't want to miss out.

"I'll rest at the end of the season. I'll make the sacrifice now of playing through pain if the club needs me."

Could this be the squad?

Given

Hughes - Woodgate - O'Brien - Bernard

Ambrose - Viana - Speed - Robert

Bridges - Shearer

Manager Sir Bobby Bobby is expected to sweat on the fitness of Lee Bowyer and Shola Ameobi before announcing the squad for the UEFA Cup semi-final.  If the pair are both fit, it is likely that they will play instead of Viana and Bridges. 

Michael Bridges is aslo nursing a knock, so Michael Chopra chould well be given a chance to shine, but, it has however, also been reported that DR Congo striker Lomano LuaLua could be back on his way to SJP.  According to various sources, Sir Bobby and Pompey manager Harry Redknapp (aswell as Pompey chairman Milan Mandaric) have held talks about the posibility of LuaLua returning to Newcastle early to help out during thier injury-hit campaign.

What do you think? What will the score be? What do you think the squad will be? Let us know on our message board, or e-mail your views to jones_ufc@hotmail.com!