Premier League - Team news: Taylor doubt

Eurosport - Mon, 27 Apr 19:27:00 2009

Steven Taylor is struggling to be fit for Newcastle's clash with Portsmouth tonight due to an ankle injury.

Steven Taylor Newcastle - 0

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Alan Shearer initially adopted a three-man rearguard at Tottenham last Sunday with Taylor Habib Beye and Sebastien Bassong starting at the back, although Taylor's injury and the fact his side had to chase the game resulted in a reshuffle before the break.

Left-back Jose Enrique could return from a knee problem and with Ryan Taylor having played at right-back as well as on the right side of midfield, Beye and Frenchman Bassong could yet find themselves at the middle of a back four dealing with towering Pompey striker Peter Crouch.

However, that would not worry their manager unduly.

Shearer said: "Beye and Bassong have probably been the top performers for us in the three games that I have been here.

"I will be looking for more of the same from the two of them."

Newcastle's need could hardly be more pressing as they target victory in each of their remaining home games to give themselves a chance of avoiding the drop.

Shearer said: "We are in this position, it's a tough position, but I believe we have got enough fight and enough bottle and enough decent players to get us out of it."

Seven points clear of the second-from-bottom Magpies, Pompey already look almost home and hosed in the race to beat relegation but boss Paul Hart is still not convinced that 40 points - which they would achieve with a win at St James's Park - is sufficient.

He said: "I simply don't how many points we will need. Who does? All I'll say is that we'll keep on scrapping to get as many points as we can regardless of whether or not we stay in this division.

"Newcastle, supposedly have got to win their three remaining home games to give themselves a chance (of staying up) but we still need points, too, and we'll try to make it very difficult for them."

Hart is confident of another happy Pompey night - he has already won three and drawn four of his nine games in charge since succeeding sacked Tony Adams - and a return to winning ways after a gallant 2-0 defeat at Manchester United in midweek.

He said: "The players showed in that Old Trafford game, as much as any of the previous ones, that they have what it takes to be very hard to beat. We could have caved in and got the same kind of result as Spurs did there (beaten 5-2) on Saturday.

David Nugent has been passed fit for selection after limping out of the Manchester United game at half-time with a "dead leg" but there is still a doubt over defender Younes Kaboul who missed that match with a thigh injury while midfielder Niko Kranjcar (ankle) has again been ruled out.

Sporting Life / Eurosport

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  1. i think Adebayor will be rested,, Wenger will give­ another chance to Bendtner or Eduardo. we got bigger­ games coming up.

    From Renan, on Sun 26 Apr 9:10AM

  2. WHATS THIS @#$% DOING ON F1 BOARD

    From ray, on Sun 26 Apr 8:56AM

  3. Scousers aint gone...ive just got back from your house,­ helped myself to your telly while you were pissing­ about on your computer Billy.
    Times up for the Gooners,­ aint gonna win the League now.The Scouse Masterplan is­ working, lull Utd into a false sense of security before­ deploying City and the Gooners to beat you and we take­ your crown. Simple.

    From Koppite 1973, on Sun 26 Apr 1:54AM

  4. orange hood

    From paul, on Sat 25 Apr 9:48PM

  5. munster is temporarily off for his medication

    From the silent assassin, on Sat 25 Apr 2:34PM

  6. as im sure you must know ECT is only used if a patient­ becomes very withdrawn or severely dipressed. neither­ of these symptoms would appear to be present in king­ billy or myself, mainly because we dont support second­ rate teams who cant win any trophies!
    GGMU

    From eric the king, on Sat 25 Apr 2:31PM
  7. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    SO LONG MUPPETS....... I LOVE HOW S H I T STICKS­ TOGETHER....... BOTTOM OF THE BARRELL YOU LOT.....­ I'LL MISS YOU GUYS XXX

    From pstar1979, on Sat 25 Apr 2:30PM

  8. and lithium is now the preferred treatment for the­ severely mentally ill

    From the silent assassin, on Sat 25 Apr 2:29PM

  9. munster. Domicilary care do cheap rate for retards like­ u but they charge for each soiled nappy so its goin 2­ cost u a bomb

    From the silent assassin, on Sat 25 Apr 2:28PM

  10. no funnily enough i've just got back from your mums­ house, can you tell her thats the last i pay £5 aswell!­ i know she's been charging the rest of the regiment­ £4.50. must have enough for that bungalow by now!!
    GGMU

    From eric the king, on Sat 25 Apr 2:20PM

  11. munster move on, all ur comments r aimed at the same­ person and they ALL say the SAME

    From the silent assassin, on Sat 25 Apr 2:20PM

  12. ECT IS STILL USED TO ALLEVIATE ERRACTIC BRAINWAVES IN­ SEVERE PARANOID SCHIZOPHRENIC CASES MR.­ SMITH............THEY PROBABLY TOLD YOU IT DOESN'T­ WORK BECAUSE YOU'RE BEYOND HELP

    From pstar1979, on Sat 25 Apr 2:17PM

  13. JASON SMITH ITS NICE THAT YOUR BOYFRIEND BILLY LET YOU­ USE HIS PC, , , ARE YE HAVING THE USUAL SAT MORNING LIE­ IN ,,,,,, AFTER THE HARD BUM POUNDING YE DID LAST NTE.­ LOLOLOLOLOL

    From pstar1979, on Sat 25 Apr 2:15PM

  14. SAD LIL BILLY BOY , MOMENTARILY TAKES A BREAK FROM HIS­ LADY-BOY P O R N , TO TRY TO OFFEND AS MANY GENUINE­ FOOTBALL FANS AS HE CAN............ THE ONLY ONE YOU­ OFFEND IS YOURSELF AND DECENT HUMAN BEINGS.........

    From pstar1979, on Sat 25 Apr 2:12PM

  15. MUNSTER, you are obviously not a medical professional­ as you would know that ECT is no longer considered to­ be an effective treatment for bi-polar disorders. duh.­ anyway what KING BILLY has is a legitimate hatred for a­ particular group of people, ie bin dippers! oh and­ plastic skip rats too like you... if you cant take the­ heat pal i suggest you go and read the netball threads­ or maybe the knitting ones!
    GGMU

    From eric the king, on Sat 25 Apr 2:11PM

  16. PUSH, PUSH , PUSH ,,,,,,,,, JUST LOOOOOVVVVEEEEE­ PUSHING YOUR BUTTONS BILLY , 95% OF NORMAL FANS WOULD­ AGREE THAT YOUR TWISTED , THE OTHER 5% ARE YOUR FAMILY.

    From pstar1979, on Sat 25 Apr 2:04PM

  17. freedom of speech for king billy lol

    From the silent assassin, on Sat 25 Apr 2:04PM

  18. HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT ELECTRO-SHOCK THERAPY , IT MIGHT­ HELP YOU SORT OUT THE VOICES IN YOUR HEAD.....

    From pstar1979, on Sat 25 Apr 2:01PM

  19. king billy you are a @#$%

    From mofmando, on Sat 25 Apr 2:00PM

  20. COWARD , SCUM , NO END OF WORDS TO DESCRIBE HOW SAD YOU­ ARE.

    From pstar1979, on Sat 25 Apr 1:59PM
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