Newcastle United Vs Manchester United FA Cup Semi-Final |
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Date:
Sunday 17th April 2005
Kick Off: 2.00pm BST
Venue: Cardiff Millennium Stadium
Ref: Mike Riley
Comp: FA Cup Semi-Final |
| Match Preview
In Association With Toon
Ale |
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By
Ally
When the draw was made for the FA Cup Semi last month everyone wanted
a tie with Blackburn Rovers in order to avoid the 'big-guns'. It predictably
didn't happen and we were given a difficult game against Man Utd,
our bogey team for a long time now. I absolutely love beating them,
granted, it doesn't happen very often but when it does it's fantastic.
Ever since the draw my head has been saying we'll probably lose, but
my heart has put us down for a win, sadly my optimism is fading by
the day.
I'll try and be positive, but Newcastle never make things easy for
us do they? Yesterday we spectacularly capitulated at the hands of
Sporting Lisbon, from leading 2-0 on aggregate with a valuable away
goal we managed to throw it all away by conceding four goals. It's
not acceptable and I can't have been the only one who was lost for
words at 10pm last night! We need to get it out of our systems, forget
about it and concentrate on the FA Cup. We've got absolutely nothing
left to play for this season other than this game so we need to put
our all into getting a result.
As ever we have selection problems, three of which are self-inflicted.
Dyer and Bowyer are suspended and are going to be massive losses.
Dyer was brilliant last night in the advanced role, his pace was too
much for the Lisbon defenders to handle and he caused all sorts of
problems. As soon as he went off we lost all pace and movement and
looked generally clueless. Laurent Robert is the third culprit. His
outburst in the papers on Thursday morning was the last thing we needed
and Souness' decision to axe him from the squad arguably cost us the
tie.
When Robert doesn't play we tend to lose, even if Souness doesn't
like him surely he can put up with him for another month? I've read
though that due to injury problems the row is going to be put aside
and Robert will start. He doesn't really have another option. The
club is a laughing stock to the rest of the country, and Souness and
Robert slagging each other off in front of the cameras is bad for
the team and there is no need for it. If Robert is unhappy he should
talk to Souness and vice-versa.
That's the naughty boys done with, shame that we've got injuries all
over the team as well! Given continues to be a doubt with his hip
injury. He played last night and made a couple of excellent saves,
none of the goals were his fault and he didn't look uncomfortable.
Hopefully he'll be OK and he can have a rest after the Semi. Harper
can play against Norwich.
Defensively, Babayaro picked up yet another injury in the Lisbon game.
Its getting beyond a joke now, what is the matter with him? We seem
to have a habit of signing crocks. Hughes will deputise although there
is a doubt there too, but he won't let us down if he does play. Jean-Alain
Boumsong returns and we'll need another good performance from him
to cut out the threat from Rooney and Van Nistelrooy. When I've seen
him he tends to raise his game more against top opponents so hopefully
he'll keep them quiet.
We gambled with Bramble yesterday too and he came off early with reportedly
an unrelated groin strain. Its frustrating and I really hope he's
back. It wasn't that long ago that no one would have been bothered
if Bramble were sold, but since Christmas he's been our best player
and we miss him. Taylor was OK last night, and it will have been a
great learning experience for him. Hopefully Bramble will be fit to
play, but Taylor is a more than able deputy. So long as O'Brien doesn't
get on the pitch we'll we should be fine. I don't mean to single him
out but he's so out of his depth right now.
Jermaine Jenas came off at half time with a calf injury and he's said
to be confident of being OK for Sunday. Usually it wouldn't be too
much of a worry but the suspensions of Dyer and Bowyer makes him a
key player for us. I'd much rather see him play in the middle than
Nicky Butt. The thought of him playing against Man Utd terrifies me.
He hasn't looked interested for us against teams he has no feelings
for, but playing against his former team I just can't see him being
motivated. Hopefully I'm wrong and he'll be professional but I'm not
confident. If Jenas is injured then we're sure to see Milner play
on the right wing. The pitch at Cardiff is wide and it suits wingers,
so hopefully if he gets the ball at his feet he can cause some problems.
Up front, Shearer is the obvious choice, but I really don't know if
he'll play Ameobi or Kluivert. Shola has been poor recently and he's
got a niggling hip injury, but Kluivert's non-performance last night
was so disappointing. An on form and fit Kluivert could be one the
best outlets for Newcastle on Sunday, but a disinterested, unfit Kluivert
is a hindrance. I imagine he's more likely to play, it's a massive
game and he should be up for it, if he isn't there's something wrong
with him!
Man Utd were beaten 2-0 by Norwich at the weekend but I fully expect
them to have had a good telling off this week and they'll want to
make amends. Like us, its there only chance of silverware and Ferguson
will be desperate to finish the season with another trophy. They've
got a couple of injury problems themselves, with Giggs and Saha out,
and Ferdinand is doubtful. Its going to be our hardest game of the
season and with the players we have out we need a fully committed
performance from every player, we can't afford to carry any passengers.
Man Utd are beatable and if we go at them we can get a result, we
just can't be afraid.
Given |
Carr |
Boumsong |
Taylor |
Hughes |
Milner |
Butt |
Faye |
Robert |
| |
Shearer |
Kluivert |
|
| NUFC Squad News &
Pre-Match Reaction |
Graeme Souness on the match:
"They're a wounded animal.
"They're used to having a winning taste and they'll have had a whole
week to prepare for this game, to think about Norwich.
"I think all proper players hate losing, that's one of the ingredients
to being a player. You do everything to make sure that doesn't happen
on a regular basis. We've got to make sure whatever else that we don't
have that taste on Sunday night.
"If we're to beat Manchester United, a majority of our players are
going to have to be at their best. We'll have played twice in a few
days and to turn them over we'll have to be at our best.
"There is nothing we can do about it (Sporting defeat) and we cannot
feel sorry for ourselves.
"We will take this defeat on the chin and start to prepare now
for a very hard game in Cardiff on Sunday."
Alan Shearer on the match:
"I don't think it's ever going to change (Man Utd fans taunting him).
"But I do think it's a sign of respect more than anything.
"I doesn't bother me. In fact more than anything, it spurs me on just
that little bit extra.
"I've had some great games against Manchester United over the years.
I'm not sure what the overall record is, how many have been won and
lost.
"But whatever it is, it doesn't matter. Whatever has gone on in the
past, we cannot do anything about that.
"What we can do something about, though, is Sunday. All that matters
is this day and I promise we'll give it a right go and hopefully come
out victorious because our fans would love every minute of it if we
do.
"I don't think games come any bigger or better than this one, to be
honest. Without doubt, it's the tie I think everyone wants to see.
"I know Cardiff is a hell of a long way for everyone to go, but it
won't seem like such a long journey for our supporters if they are
celebrating on the way home.
"Manchester United are not in great form.
"Whether they can turn the tap on and off as regards form remains
to be seen.
"They lost at Norwich last weekend, but I think we will see a different
team on Sunday.
"They have big players used to winning big occasions, but it does
show they are beatable.
"I think there is pressure on both clubs. It's on us because we haven't
won anything for such a long time, and it's on them because they haven't
got the chance of winning anything else this season other than the
FA Cup.
"And not winning anything in a season is, for them, unacceptable."
United squad: Given, Harper, Caig, Carr, Babayaro,
Hughes, Taylor, Elliott, Boumsong, O'Brien, Bramble, Ramage, Robert,
Butt, Faye, Jenas, Milner, Ambrose, Shearer, Ameobi, Kluivert.
Injury News: Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer are both
suspended while Charles N'Zogbia misses out with a collar bone fracture.
Doubts remain over Jermaine Jenas (calf), Titus Bramble (groin) and
Celestine Babayaro (hamstring) and of course, Patrick Kluivert looks
way unfit.
| Man Utd Squad News &
Pre-Match Reaction |
Sir Alex Ferguson on the match:
"In my time, we've played Newcastle twice, in 1990 and the final in
1999.
"It does matter, when you're winning, you can play every day.
"Back in 1999, we were very fortunate as we had no injuries. In the
final itself, we only had Henning Berg missing from the whole squad.
We were very lucky in that respect and the momentum was fantastic.
"After we beat Arsenal in the semi-final there was an incredible
atmosphere here about the place.
"Winning is important, when you lose a game the recovery part and
players' response to defeat is important and that's what we're facing
this week.
"I think things can be difficult when you lose players like Bowyer
and Dyer for the reasons they lost them. It's out of the manager's
control completely, there's nothing you can do about that.
"Injuries you can never do anything about but there are other things
you can do something about and that's what management is about - controlling
the club.
"That's why it's great disappointment for Graeme, terribly disappointing
for him in that situation and you have a lot of sympathy for him.
"But, come the semi-final, they will still go for it - Alan Shearer
has been a fantastic performer for Newcastle over the years with a
lot of experience; a warrior of a player so we're not taking anything
for granted because our form in terms of scoring goals is not great.
It's a concern for me but, hopefully on Sunday, that comes right."
Man Utd Squad: Howard, Carroll, G Neville, P Neville,
Ferdinand, Brown, Silvestre, Heinze, O'Shea, Fortune, Ronaldo, Kleberson,
Keane, Scholes, Miller, van Nistelrooy, Smith, Rooney, Bellion.
Injury News: Ryan Giggs (hamstring), Darren Fletcher
(knee) and Louis Saha (calf) all miss out.
 Mike
Riley (Leeds)
Stepped in for the injured Graham Poll... just our luck!
Riley is the worst possible referee we could have for our FA Cup Semi.
The Leeds born official has awarded Man Utd 12 penalties in 23 games
and having seen a few of those decisions as I'm sure most of you reading
will have done as well, the man is clearly incompetent and hugely
biased. He's refereed 3 Toon games this season, our 3-1 win at home
to West Brom, the 1-1 draw to Portsmouth at home and the 4-2 defeat
at Villa Park. Sir Bobby's last match in charge. Oh dear...
| Head To Head All-Time Record |
| |
Newcastle United wins |
Draws |
Man
Utd Wins |
| League |
38 |
33 |
62 |
| FA Cup |
0 |
0 |
3 |
| League Cup |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Other |
0 |
0 |
2 |
| Total |
39 |
33 |
68 |
| Newcastle |
Man
Utd |
| Opposition |
V |
Result |
Opposition |
V |
Result |
| |
|
|
Southampton |
A |
W 4-0 |
| Tottenham Hotspur |
H |
W 1-0 |
Everton |
A |
W 2-0 |
| Chelsea |
H |
W 1-0 |
Middlesbrough |
H |
W 3-0 |
| Coventry City |
H |
W 3-1 |
Exeter City |
A |
W 2-0 |
| Yeading |
A |
W 2-0 |
Exeter City |
H |
D 0-0 |
I'm not confident, especially after some terrible performances recently.
I wish I was going and everyone who is will have a great day win or
lose, I just pray that we can win the game. As I said it's not impossible
but its tricky. My realistic side says we'll lose 2-0, but my black
and white goggles envisage a 2-1 win for the Toon. Don't let us down
lads, and if we do lose do it after a passionate display. The last
thing we want is a damp squid of a performance like in the 98 and
99 finals. Howay the lads! |
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