Middlesbrough Vs Newcastle United |
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Date:
Saturday 14th August 2004
Kick Off: 5.15pm UK
Venue: Riverside Stadium
Ref: Steve Bennett
Comp: Premiership |
| Match Preview
In Association With Toon
Ale |
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The Big Kick-Off...
So after a two-month sabbatical where we've endured the usual eventful
Summer, picking up 4 new players as well as the lurgey, we once again
don our beloved Black & White shirts to resume old battles and
a mouthwatering battle it promises to be as we look to improve on
Last Season's 5th place finish as we chase the Champions League and
that elusive trophy.
Starting with a trip to the Riverside to face Middlesbrough. A team
who's supporters see this match as a derby. A derby it most certainly
isn't but a spicy affair it is, or at least it should be.
With a patched up side we travel to the chemically challenged town
of Boro not only short in player numbers, with injuries and Conjunctivitis
depleting our squad, but also short in support - having had our ticket
allocation cut. Standing in cramped conditions isn't safe. Apparently.
Neither is the the Teeside air...
With all 4 new signings in the squad and familiar faces still knocking
about we still have a strong enough squad for Bobby to put out a decent
team. What team the silver fox decides on is anyone's guess but new
boys Nicky Butt and Stephen Carr are almost certain to start.
With Big Al wanting to notch his customary goal against the Smoggies
and a fit again Bellamy raring to go, the dual partnership that set
the League a light in 2001-2002 looks set to pick up the baton with
Patrick Kluivert still not 100% match fit.
Probable team:
| Given |
| Carr
Hughes Bramble Bernard |
| Dyer
Butt Jenas Milner |
| Shearer
Bellamy |
A new Season, a fresh start. New hopes, same old expectations - can
the Toon deliver?
Lets hope so...
Howay The Toon!
Sir Bobby has named a 20-man squad for tomorrow's match
against Middlesbrough at the Riverside. All 4 new Summer signings
Nicky Butt, Stephen Carr, James Milner and Patrick Kluivert make the
squad as does Laurent Robert, Titus Bramble, Shola Ameobi and Kieron
Dyer - all thought to have been in doubt. Whether they play any part
remains to be seen.
Lee Bowyer, Andy O'Brien and Tony Caig (Conjunctivitis) all miss out
as does Jonathan Woodgate (thigh), Darren Ambrose (knee) and Steven
Taylor (Foot). Fitness doubts remain over Robert, Dyer, Ameobi and
Bramble. Carr and Butt are expected to make their full competitive
Toon debuts from the start.
United squad:
Given, Harper, Hughes, Carr, Bramble, Elliott, Bernard, Gate, Brittain,
Dyer, Jenas, Butt, Robert, Milner, Chopra, Shearer, Kluivert, Ramage,
Ameobi, Bellamy.
Middlesbrough have fitness doubts over Southgate, Queudrue, Medieta,
Cooper and Parnaby. Viduka is suspended for this match.
Middlesbrough squad:
Schwarzer, Nash, Wilson, Riggott, Reiziger, Queudrue, Ehiogu, Southgate,
Zenden, Parlour, Juninho, Downing, Doriva, Nemeth, Hasselbaink, Maccarone,
Boateng, Parnaby, Cooper, Mendieta.
| Last Meeting (at the Riverside) |
Boro 0-1 NUFC (Premiership: 18th of October 2003)
A 22nd minute Shola Ameobi goal was enough to earn
United all 3 points in a game where they battered us at times. Shola
wasn't the hero that game though - Shay Given was. With the Irishman
producing a magnificent goalkeeping display to save our arses and
to give us our 1st Premiership victory on the road in 5 attempts.
Who would have thought we would have added only 1 to that tally all
Season...
The team that day was:
Given, Hughes, O'Brien, Bramble, Bernard, Bowyer (Robert 77), Dyer,
Speed, Jenas, Shearer, Ameobi. Subs not used: Harper, Griffin, LuaLua,
Viana.
| Last 5 Meetings (at their
ground - all competitions) |
| Date |
Score |
Comp |
Scorers |
| 18/10/2003 |
Won 1-0 |
Premiership |
Ameobi |
| 5/3/2003 |
Lost 1-0 |
Premiership |
None |
| 8/9/2001 |
Won 4-1 |
Premiership |
Shearer (2, 1 pen), Robert, Dabizas |
| 16/10/2000 |
Won 3-1 |
Premiership |
Shearer, Goma, Dyer |
| 2/5/2000 |
Drew 2-2 |
Premiership |
Speed, Pistone |
| |
Newcastle United wins |
Draws |
Middlesbrough wins |
| League |
42 |
28 |
34 |
| FA Cup |
0 |
0 |
2 |
| League Cup |
2 |
1 |
3 |
| Total |
44 |
29 |
38 |
| Form Guide (League &
Cups) |
| Newcastle |
Middlesbrough |
| Opposition |
V |
Result |
Opposition |
V |
Result |
| Liverpool |
A |
D 1-1 |
Portsmouth |
A |
L 5-1 |
| Southampton |
A |
D 3-3 |
Manchester City |
H |
W 2-1 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers |
H |
D 1-1 |
Liverpool |
A |
L 2-0 |
| Marseille |
A |
L 2-0 |
Aston Villa |
H |
L 2-1 |
| Manchester City |
A |
L 1-0 |
Wolverhampton Wanderers |
A |
L 2-0 |
| Chelsea |
H |
W 2-1 |
Southampton |
H |
W 3-1 |
| Marseille |
H |
D 0-0 |
Chelsea |
A |
D 0-0 |
| Aston Villa |
A |
D 0-0 |
Bolton Wanderers |
H |
W 2-0 |
| PSV Eindhoven |
H |
W 2-1 |
Everton |
A |
D 1-1 |
| Arsenal |
H |
D 0-0 |
Birmingham City |
H |
W 5-3 |
| *Last
10 matches in all competitions. Keys: V
= Venue L = Loss W
= Win D = Draw |
It won't be an easy game, far from it. We could either capitulate
or thrash them but I fancy a more mundane but welcoming scoreline.
2-1 to Newcastle with Shearer and Bellamy grabbing the goals to give
us a winning start to our new Premiership campaign. |
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