As it stands the InterToto position is between ourselves and Blackburn, but
Blackburn defender Stephen Warnock can see his side squeeze into an automatic UEFA Cup spot. Leaving the way clear for Newcastle.
Should We Qualify For Europe As Holders?
As it stands the InterToto position is between ourselves and Blackburn, but
Blackburn defender Stephen Warnock can see his side squeeze into an automatic UEFA Cup spot. Leaving the way clear for Newcastle.
Only four wins from their four remaining games will realistically be enough for Rovers to claim a place in the Barclays Premiership's top seven, but the Intertoto Cup offers an alternative route.
Warnock: "Being in Europe is a massive pull to a player. We all want to test ourselves against the best and we want to be one of those teams who can show what we are about.
"You want to be part of the travelling away and playing against the best teams in Europe. You can showcase what you can do and I am sure it was a big reason why Benni McCarthy also chose to come here."
Rovers currently stand 10th in the Premiership table, seven points behind seventh-placed Reading,
BLACKBURN'S RUN IN:
Saturday 28th April 2007
Blackburn v Charlton 15.00
Saturday 05th May 2007
Newcastle v Blackburn 15.00
Thursday 10th May 2007
Tottenham v Blackburn 20.00
Sunday 13th May 2007
Blackburn v Reading 15.00
LAST TIME WE PLAYED BLACKBURN:
Saturday December 9th 2006BLACKBURN ROVERS 1 NEWCASTLE UTD 3
BLACKBURN: Friedel, Neill, Ooijer, Henchoz, Gray,Bentley (Todd 46), Savage, Kerimoglu, Pedersen,Nonda (Derbyshire 46), McCarthy.
Subs Not Used: Brown, Mokoena, Peter.
NEWCASTLE: Given, Solano (Rossi 67), Ramage, Taylor, Babayaro,Milner, Butt, Emre (Pattison 54), N'Zogbia, Martins,Sibierski (Huntington 86).
Subs Not Used: Srnicek, Luque.
Yep, the "most fickle fans in the Premiership" are going back to their holes. Ewood Park has a capacity of 31,367 and only 19,225 turned up - supplemented by thousands of Mags of course - and you get the drift they will return to four figures if they hit the relegation trap door.
This place was rocked to its rafters last season when Craig Bellamy faced Newcastle for the first time and United crushed the 3-0. Bellars side-stepped Souness at the final whistle, probably the only time he side-stepped anyone all match. And the Toon fans were in raptures.
This match was probably just as refreshing, as Glenn Roeder proved beyond all doubt that Newcastle CAN maintain their recent revival despite having almost a full team side-lined.
Two goals in four first-half minutes from Obafemi Martins and Steven Taylor set the Magpies on their way and Stephane Henchoz just about sealed the victory by seeing a red card for a foul on Martins just before the break.
Morten Gamst Pedersen pulled one back for the home side, but Martins made it six defeats in eight Premiership games for Rovers with an injury-time strike when Rovers took a major gamble.
The result was superb, but the way Rovers went about kicking Emre off the field of play left a bitter taste. They set about him early in the game, and finally achieved their goal in the second period. We DON'T need this in the game!
South Africa international Benni McCarthy twice beat goalkeeper Shay Given in the space of eight minutes, only to be ruled offside on both occasions. Assistant referee John Holbrook's judgment was correct on both decisions.
But after the half hour the game turned for Newcastle. Antoine Sibierski delivered a ball over the top of the Rovers defence and Martins rifled a half-volley past Brad Friedel for his fifth goal of the season.
Four minutes later and the Magpies crushed Mark Hughes' side, thanks to ex-Mackem Michael Gray, who failed to prevent James Milner from delivering a cross to the far post. Charles N'Zogbia beat Pedersen and set up Taylor the easiest of strikes from four yards.
To add to Rovers woe, Henchoz was shown a straight red card by referee Dermot Gallagher in the 40th minute for a foul on Martins. As last man, the 32-year-old had to go.
Pedersen hit a 25-yard right-foot drive into the top right corner for to beat Shay Given to give Rovers some hope. Then Emre was taken off on a stretcher following a 51st minute tackle by the Rovers goalscorer, it looked as the Turkish midfielder could have sustained a broken leg.
After Martins missed an 84th-minute breakaway chance for 3-1, and Given denied Pedersen with another fine save from underneath his own crossbar, it was the Nigerian who had the final say.
With even Friedel pushed forward for successive corners in injury time, Newcastle broke to great effect, with Martins stroking home the third from 30 yards into an empty net.