Beye And Shearer Remember 2004!

"When you consider how long he's been out injured, for him to come through and play centre-half the way he did was very, very good.

"I have played against him so I know his quality. I reminded him of that.

"I also said if Sebastien Bassong wasn't playing, we might need him at centre-half.

"I asked him 'how many times have you played there?'

"He told me he had played against me for Marseille. And I said 'that's why I'm asking you!'

"But I thought he was brilliant.

"Bassong was nearly there.

"It would have been a bit of a risk to play him. But he was nearly there, hence the reason he didn't play.

being sensible and not playing him against Chelsea we will hopefully have him back for Stoke."

Didier Drogba single-handedly ripped the heart out of Newcastle's UEFA Cup dream with a blistering display of finishing to book Marseille's place in the final.

The 26-year-old fired the French side ahead 18 minutes into the second leg of the semi-final after Camel Meriem had robbed Hugo Viana on halfway, and then made the most of dreadful defending inside the Magpies' penalty area eight minutes from time to wrap up victory.

It was scarcely more than Jose Anigo's men deserved despite a brave second-half fightback by injury-ravaged Newcastle, whose wait for a trophy will now extend to at least 36 years.

Marseille simply had too much for an under-strength Newcastle, for whom Shola Ameobi in particular battled manfully, although it was substitute Lee Bowyer - playing his first European game since December 2002 - who came closest to levelling 13 minutes from time.

A 1-1 scoreline on the whistle would have been good enough to put the visitors through to the final in Gothenburg on May 19, but instead it is the Frenchmen who will make the trip to Sweden.

It was Newcastle's first away defeat in Europe in eight attempts and the first time they had not scored on their travels in 10, but the dream is over and now the focus will turn to the battle for fourth place in the Barclaycard Premiership and the scramble for another season of football against Continental opposition.

However, for 71-year-old manager Sir Bobby Robson, who won the competition in 1981 with Ipswich, and thirty-something warhorses Alan Shearer and Gary Speed, time is rapidly running out for the silverware they crave before they call it a day.

The recipe for success from the Magpies' camp was simple - hard work, total commitment and a determination not to allow their opponents an inch.

Sadly, what the band of some 3,000 travelling supporters at the Stade Velodrome saw in the opening 45 minutes was an error-ridden display in which their side created little in attack, conceded possession in the middle of the field and were torn apart at the back.

Newcastle's chances rested on their ability to get the ball to skipper Shearer and strike-partner Ameobi in positions where they could hurt the Frenchmen.

But instead they spent their time fighting fires, at times, with a desperate lack of success.

It took Marseille just 18 minutes to forge their way in front as they turned defence into attack with breathtaking speed.

They had a helping hand in the shape of 21-year-old Viana, whose failure to beat Meriem to a bouncing ball on halfway allowed the talented playmaker to slide Drogba into acres of space.

Aaron Hughes raced back manfully to try to hold the powerful striker up, but he was defeated by an audacious backheel which left him in on goal, and he prodded the ball past Shay Given to open the scoring.

Thereafter, the Magpies were carved apart at regular intervals as Drogba and the excellent Steve Marlet made life intensely difficult for Titus Bramble and Andy O'Brien, whose 12th-minute booking for a clumsy foul on Meriem would have kept him out of the final anyway.

Marlet might have doubled his side's advantage had Drogba not overhit a 27th-minute through-ball, and both the former and Ferreira chanced their arm from distance before the break, although Given was not troubled unduly by either.

United created only two openings of note, Shearer finding himself denied by a solid block from Habib Beye and Laurent Robert, on another quiet night for the Frenchman, whistling an ambitious 35-yard free-kick over Fabien Barthez's crossbar.

The home side carried on where they had left off after the break, although United at least showed a little more enterprise in the opening minutes of the half as they sought a precious equaliser.

They twice went close within minutes when Olivier Bernard played in Robert down the left and his cross was flicked off Ameobi's head at the back post by the vigilant Abdoulaye Meite, and then the England Under-21 striker smashed a long-range effort just wide.

As Newcastle went for broke, Marseille looked ever more dangerous on the break, and it was a relieved Given who flung himself across his goal in a vain attempt to reach Marlet's 61st-minute volley, which was only just off target after a slight deflection.

There were 25 minutes remaining when Robson gambled on Bowyer's fitness and replaced Viana with the former Leeds midfielder.

Bowyer was one of two United men homing in on a bouncing ball deep inside the Marseille box on 74 minutes after Ameobi headed down a Robert cross to expose Barthez, but neither he nor Darren Ambrose could pounce as the keeper recovered.

But just as it looked as though Newcastle might rescue themselves, they handed Drogba the opportunity to enhance his blossoming reputation.

Substitute Laurent Batlles picked the striker out unmarked on the penalty spot from a free-kick and he swept the ball past the helpless Given to spark mass celebrations in the stands.

Drogba might have completed his hat-trick before being replaced at the end to a standing ovation, but Given's save was simply a cameo on a night when the plaudits went to his adversary.