Toon Sit Out The Relation Battle!

Last updated : 12 March 2008 By Footy Mad - Editor

The relegation battle will hot up in the next few days and, until they play at St Andrews on Monday, Newcastle can only go one way ... and that is down.

But the Toon gaffa says the rest could do his players some good.

Tonight (Wednesday) Middlesbrough are at Aston Villa tomorrow night, already doomed Derby County are at Chelsea and Birmingham head for Fratton Park.

Sunday brings the clash between Steve Bruce's Wigan Athletic and Sam Allardyce's old club Bolton at the JJB Stadium.

Sunderland entertain Chelsea on Saturday, which is interesting.

Keegan: "Having a little bit longer can only be a good thing.

"It will let the players get rested. We're pretty much relying on the same players week-in, week-out.

"We haven't the luxury Rafa Benitez has got to rest players, change things around and freshen things up, though I know they've got more games.

"We're asking these players to keep going out and performing, and a break can only be good."

MIDDLESBROUGH - 29pts
Remaining games: Aston Villa (a), Arsenal (a), Derby (h), Chelsea (a), Man Utd (h), Tottenham (a), Bolton (h), Sunderland (a), Portsmouth (h), Everton (a).

READING - 28
Remaining games: Liverpool (a), Birmingham (h), Blackburn (h), Newcastle (a), Fulham (h), Arsenal (a), Wigan (a), Tottenham (h), Derby (a).

NEWCASTLE - 28
Remaining games: Birmingham (a), Fulham (h), Tottenham (a), Reading (h), Portsmouth (a), Sunderland (h), West Ham (a), Chelsea (h), Everton (a).

WIGAN - 28
Remaining games: Bolton (h), Blackburn (a), Portsmouth (a), Birmingham (h), Chelsea (a), Tottenham (h), Reading (h), Villa (a), Man Utd (h).

SUNDERLAND - 27
Remaining games: Chelsea (h), Aston Villa (a), West Ham (h), Fulham (a), Man City (h), Newcastle (a), Middlesbrough (h), Bolton (a), Arsenal (h).

BIRMINGHAM - 26
Remaining games: Portsmouth (a), Newcastle (h), Reading (a), Man City (h), Wigan (a), Everton (h), Aston Villa (a), Liverpool (h), Fulham (a), Blackburn (h).

BOLTON - 25
Remaining games: Wigan (a), Man Utd (a), Man City (h), Arsenal (h), Aston Villa (a), West Ham (h), Middlesbrough (a), Tottenham (a), Sunderland (h), Chelsea (a).

FULHAM - 20
Remaining games: Everton (h), Newcastle (a), Derby (a), Sunderland (h), Reading (a), Liverpool (h), Man City (a), Birmingham (h), Portsmouth (a).