Charlton preview

The Game

Traditionally we’ve done well against the Addicks and won the corresponding game last season 3-0 with goals from Speed, Lua Lua and Shearer (his 200^th in the Premiership sparking a tremendous standing ovation).

Unfortunately we’ve not made a great start to the season and we can’t afford a Champions League hangover, otherwise we’ll start to move away from Europe and closer to Wearside.

The team selection will be interesting - Harper or Given, Jenas or Dyer, Viana or Robert, Bramble or Dabizas

Another potential landmark for Alan Shearer, as he only needs one for 100 Premiership goals for Newcastle.

Overall record against Charlton

Played 58 Won 27 Lost 16 Drawn 15 Scored 104 Conceded 81

Check out the full head-to-head record

Sir Bobby spoke to the club website about the Charlton game.:

"Our position in the league is not acceptable and we have to pick up points and get up that table. "Titus Bramble, Jermaine Jenas and Steve Harper performed magnificently well for us against Juventus which means I have some thinking to do for the game against Charlton. "We need another good team performance, would you believe that we are only five points from the bottom of the table, would you believe that? It is important that we do not fall between two stools as in Europe and the League. The league is our bread and butter competition. "We are however only three points from sixth place, so you have got to say is the glass half empty or half full. "I will have to look at the players available and see who is weary. We have players such as Viana and Bernard who can come in and not let us down, they can also give the team that fillip that it may need. "I know that over the next few games, we will probably have to use pretty much the whole squad."

The opposition

Charlton currently lie 16^th in the Premiership, three points behind us, and beat the smoggies in their last game.

They have a good manager in Alan Curbishley and a few of promising players in Konchesky, Parker, Young and Fortune. But overall they are a poor team by current Premiership standards.

If we play well they can’t live with us.

Referee

Unfortunately its Vieira’s friend and Mr Personality, Andy D’Urso.

Prediction

Probably won’t surpass last season for excitement and sense of occasion and certainly won’t improve on Wednesday, but their should be goals.

Newcastle 4 Charlton 1

Charlton preview

Last updated : 25 October 2002 By Martyn Elliott