Result: NUFC 2-1 Southampton
Full
Match Report!
Newcastle picked up only their second League
win in 8 games today with a 2-1 win over Southampton at St. James'
Park. Alan Shearer back in the starting lineup after
a 2-month spell out injured opened the scoring on 9 minutes, putting
away a penalty for his 400th career goal.
Titus Bramble, making his 50th League start, doubled the
score on 38 minutes with his first of the season and first Premiership
goal for United but the Saints pulled one back just before half-time
with Peter Crouch nodding in a Kevin Phillips rebound
off the bar as a static rear guard looked on.
The Toon had plenty of opportunities to add to their two in the second
half chalking up 27 shots at goal and 14 corners but towards the end
Shay Given denied Paul Telfer an equaliser and Steven Taylor made
a goal saving block at the near post as Souness' men clung on for
the 3 points - making it an unbeaten start to 2005.
Both new signings Celestine Babayaro and Jean-Alain Boumsong made
their home debuts while Patrick Kluivert came on as a second half
substitute for Big Al.
Teams:
United: Given, Taylor, Bramble, Boumsong, Babayaro,
(Hughes 86), Jenas, Bowyer, Dyer, Bellamy (Milner 75), Shearer (Kluivert
62), Ameobi. Subs Not Used: Harper, Robert.
Saints: Niemi (Smith 6), Telfer, Lundekvam, Davenport,Higginbotham,
Prutton, Redknapp, Delap, McCann (Anders Svensson 66), Phillips (Ormerod
87), Crouch. Subs Not Used: Oakley, Nilsson.
Booked: Telfer & Crouch (37)
Referee: Uriah Rennie (South Yorkshire)
Attendance: 51,266
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Yakubu Rumour Intensifies
From today's Daily Mirror:
Wanted man Yakubu is ready to sign for Newcastle
United in a £7.5million deal this weekend after whirlwind talks. Portsmouth's
Nigerian striker will make an announcement in the next 48 hours after
the Geordies and Birmingham City both agreed to meet the stunning
valuation on his head.
Yakubu has told friends he wants the big stage at Newcastle - even
if it means fighting for a first team place - although he was tempted
to go to Steve Bruce's club and be guaranteed a regular game.
Newcastle want the deal tied up immediately and with Yakubu's agent
Pini Zahavi leaving the country tomorrow the transfer should go through
fast.
The St James' Park side have already had talks about what to offer
Yakubu and have also sold the idea of the club and the challenge on
Tyneside to the African star.
Boss Graeme Souness sees him as a long-term replacement for Alan Shearer
and wants to put him straight in the team to shake up his attack.
Patrick Kluivert has failed to fire since moving from Barcelona, while
Shola Ameobi is still an emerging force. However the swoop could put
a question mark over Craig Bellamy's future.
Souness is going into the transfer market with all guns blazing after
signing centre-half Jean-Alain Boumsong from Rangers in the biggest
deal of the window so far.
Signing Yakubu will be a significant step forward for Souness who
has had the full backing of chairman Freddy Shepherd as he revamps
his squad.
Souness has been concentrating on improving one of the worst defences
in the Premiership but a new long-term striker was a priority for
the summer until the events of the past few days.
Yakubu's availability at Portsmouth has been flashed round interested
clubs and Souness simply could not resist while he had money to spend.
Kluivert may now be on his way at the end of the campaign if Newcastle
decline to take up a further option on him.
Shearer is insistent about quitting in the summer and that huge loss
could be offset by Yakubu's early arrival. He will be the first to
see if he can fill the great man's boots.
Ameobi is highly-rated by Souness who has resisted all overtures for
the home-grown England Under-21 international in the past few months.
But now the big worry concerns Bellamy's future. He wants to play
in a central striking role but will now face even more competition.
The Welshman has put up with his occasional appearances on the wing
but he could suffer most from the Yakubu deal and may be gone by the
start of next season.
Souness likes the feisty striker but whether the Welshman wants to
hang around to form a future partnership with Yakubu remains to be
seen.
Newcastle will take their spending to almost £16million with the Yakubu
capture and are still in the hunt for a second centre-half.
The cost of those deals may sway Souness towards Bayern Munich's Sammy
Kuffour rather than over-priced Manchester City skipper Sylvain Distin.
Meanwhile Newcastle have rejected a £1.5m offer from Aston Villa for
Andy O'Brien but the move could still happen before the end of the
month. |
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