Under-pressure Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan has taken responsibility for the injury suffered by goalkeeper Shay Given during the 5-1 Premier League thrashing at home to Manchester United.

Given - who had been absent since the 4-1 defeat at Aston Villa - was rushed back for the clash at St James's Park, a decision which backfired after he was taken off with a recurrence of the groin strain, which reportedly may require surgery.

"I take full responsibility for that," Keegan declared. "Shay only had two weeks to get over a groin injury. He passed every fitness test, but I knew there was a slight risk playing him.

"He wanted to play and made every effort to get fit. But at half time, he said 'it is a little bit achy'. Rather than be stupid and say, 'You said you're fit so you can carry on playing', I took him off.

"And I thought Steve Harper did well in the second half and made a couple of great saves."

The heavy defeat takes Newcastle to a run of six games without victory since Keegan took over in January, and the club's fourth loss by three or more goals in this time.

Such form has led Keegan to admit that his side have been dragged from mid-table security under former boss Sam Allardyce to a relegation battle.

"I have said all along, we need 40 points this year, and we have got 28," he continued.

"Anybody who has not got 40 points can be relegated - and in the past, teams with 42, 43 have.

"To get to 40, we need four wins, or three wins and three draws."

Reda Maher / Eurosport