EPL: NUFC vs EFC

iveco SG

Date: 24 September 2006

Venue: St James' Park

KO Time: 1600 GMT

dragg SG

this match will be very tight.

everton have the slight edge as newcastle are poor in defence.

iveco SG

Newcastle United v Everton

Sunday 24 September 2006 16:00

Everton boss David Moyes is waiting on the fitness of Joseph Yobo and David Weir ahead of Sundays clash against Newcastle United at St James Park.

The central defenders both have back injuries but Moyes, who will be without Alan Stubbs (knee), is hopeful at least one will be fit.

Full-back Tony Hibbert and Victor Anichebe have picked up slight knocks but could be available while James McFadden (hamstring) is ruled out.

Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder will be without Celestine Babayaro after the full-back was handed a three-match ban following a clash with Liverpools Dirk Kuyt.

Central defenders Titus Bramble (knee and ankle) and Steven Taylor (foot) have returned to training and could feature, with Peter Ramage likely to move to left-back as Olivier Bernard fights for match fitness.

Manager Glenn Roeder will make a late check on striker Shola Ameobi, whose long-standing hip injury continues to be a concern, while Nolberto Solano (hamstring) remains on the sidelines.

Newcastle United (from): Harper, Krul, Carr, Ramage, Bramble, Moore, Taylor, Ramage, Huntington, Parker, Butt, Emre, Duff, NZogbia, Milner, Pattison, Ameobi, Martins, Sibierski, Luque, Rossi.

Everton (from): Howard, Wright, Hibbert, Yobo, Weir, Lescott, Naysmith, Osman, Carsley, Neville, Arteta, Cahill, Johnson, Davies, Valente, Beattie, Van der Meyde, Anichebe.

dragg SG

hopeless newcastle.

they should release bramble for good. who needs a block of wood in defence?

his sense of the game is terrible.

i think newcastle made a big mistake signing martins. he appears clumsy and lost in attack. rossi, on loan from man u, played much better.

newcastle's goal was obviously offside. horrible decision by the linesman.

The man who was death SG

interesting to see tim howard’s tourette syndrome act up during the game…luckily he still can control his hands, only his face twitches

iveco SG

NEWCASTLE UNITED v EVERTON, 1-1 Sun 24 Sep 2006

Everton maintained their unbeaten start to the season thanks to Tim Cahill as two goals, two sendings-off and a whole host of chances made for another entertaining and hard-fought game with Newcastle United at St James Park.

The battle-weary Shola Ameobi only made it through 20 minutes of this game, but that was enough to put the Tynesiders ahead early in the first period before Cahill equalised shortly before half-time with his third Barclays Premiership goal of the season.

As both teams pressed for a winner in the final 15 minutes, first Titus Bramble and then Tony Hibbert were sent off for the first times in their careers, leaving both teams playing with ten men.

Newcastle had been dealt a setback before the game kicked off with £5million signing Damien Duff forced to sit out after failing a fitness test on a thigh problem.

This gave youngster Charles N'Zogbia his second Barclays Premiership start of the season, while Titus Bramble was drafted back into defence, Peter Ramage moving to left-back in place of the suspended Celestine Babayaro.

David Moyes meanwhile named the same side which drew 2-2 with Wigan Athletic last weekend.

Newcastle had the first chances of the game, Joseph Yobo forced to clear from the feet of Obafemi Martins in the second minute and from the resulting corner, N'Zogbia sent a good chance over the crossbar.

The French winger did better 30 seconds later, pulling a ball back across the area which James Milner controlled well before firing wide.

The goal, when it came, was started and finished by a man playing despite needing a hip operation.

In the 14th minute, Ameobi received the ball wide on the left, beat one defender and drew a foul from the next. The resultant free-kick was sent in by Emre Belozoglu and found Ameobi in yards of space inside the penalty area.

The 24-year-old striker even had time to look up and check for an offside decision before, upon seeing no flag, finishing coolly from six yards.

However, these exertions, his third in seven days, proved too much for Ameobi and just 10 minutes after his goal he limped off, replaced by summer signing Antoine Sibierski.

Shortly after this change Everton had a great chance to level, as a sloppy tackle by Bramble - which earned him his first booking - gave the Toffees a free-kick which Cahill whipped in.

Joleon Lescott, yet to score for his new club, ran in and found himself with a free header at the back post, but couldn't find the target.

And the Merseysiders were almost punished for this missed chance immediately, Scott Parker hitting a sweet lobbed effort which Tim Howard did very well to parry round for a corner.

Andy Johnson, playing as a lone striker in the first half as has been Moyes' wont, was receiving little service and Newcastle`s forwards looked the more likely to grab the second goal, Martins and N'Zogbia especially lively.

However Everton's extra man in midfield was helping them build up attacks, Lee Carsley especially dominant in the holding role, and the Ireland international also nearly got on the scoresheet.

Phil Neville delivered in a right-wing cross which Carsley, despite being closely marked by both Milner and Bramble, got a diving header to and should have done better than heading wide.

But a similar chance just five minutes later gave Everton the equaliser.

After Newcastle failed to clear a corner, Neville found Mikel Arteta in acres of space on the right with a great pass. The Spaniard delivered a carbon copy of Neville's earlier cross but this time Cahill was the man on the end of it, and the Australian rarely misses chances like that, powering a header past Steven Harper.

It made the half-time score no less than Everton deserved, although the Magpies could have retaken the lead before the break, Martins denied by a great last-ditch tackle by Gary Naysmith, the left-back suffering a nasty injury for his efforts and being replaced by Nuno Valente.

Newcastle began the second period as they had the first, N`Zobgia and Martins' pace and Parker's tenacity testing the Everton defence and forcing them to play on the break.

However Newcastle's hopes of grabbing the win were done no favours in the 75th minute, as Bramble`s rash tackle on Leon Osman earned him a second yellow card.

But Everton's man advantage did not last long, as within two minutes Hibbert joined Bramble in the red card stakes after bringing down Sibierski with a late challenge.

The lack of players didn`t stop either side trying to win the match though, and the introduction of Giuseppe Rossi for the hosts led to several chances which the young Italian-American was unfortunate not to see hit the back of the net.