Ashley Must Face The Music If We Lose Milner!

Last updated : 27 August 2008 By Footy Mad - Editor

Keegan: "My optimism gets less the nearer that you get to the deadline. I'm still hoping that we'll get a couple in, but if we don't we'll just have to soldier on.

"I haven't got enough players. I have lost five forwards and I've not got any people to come in. We had two teenagers on the bench tonight.

"I suppose that if we don't get any new players, I'll just have to wait for all of those strikers to come back."

Keegan will head into a meeting with owner Mike Ashley and managing director Derek Llambias today armed with all the evidence he needs to convince them that Michael Owen and James Milner are deserving of new contracts which will keep them at St James's Park.

Keegan believes losing Milner is "unthinkable".

"He's got a three-year contract with us," said the Magpies manager. "I don't want to talk about losing James Milner - he's absolutely top-notch."