Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan has denied that a problem exists with striker Obafemi Martins - a sentiment the player himself has echoed.

Martins was taken off for tactical reasons as under-pressure Newcastle tried to protect a point late in the 1-1 draw at Birmingham, and following his substitution appeared to ignore a handshake from Keegan.

"I haven't got a problem with him," Keegan claimed. "I wouldn't be happy to fetch a player off and then seeing them doing cartwheels and being pleased to come off.

"You've seen it with Robbie Keane as well the other night. I like that in players. Alright, I went over to him afterwards and said 'I know it hurts when you come off'.

"But it was not for his performance. It was just tactical and myself saying 'let's just shore things up here'. Obafemi put a really good stint in."

Nigeria international Martins, meanwhile, insisted that everything was fine at St James' Park.

"There are no problems," he told the Newcastle Evening Chronicle. "We have quality players and if we continue that sort of play, we will do even better.

"All I am trying to do is help get this club away from the relegation zone. The fans or the club don't need that so that is all I am concerned about."

Indeed, the former Internazionale striker feels they are more than equipped to stay up, and that the attacking style Keegan is trying to employ suits his game.

"The coach plays an attacking game and that suits my game a lot," he continued.

"I am satisfied with that and by the way we played going forward as a team."

Newcastle lie 14th in the Premier League and are two points above the drop zone after failing to win in their eight league matches under Keegan.

Reda Maher / Eurosport