Souness Speaks Ahead Of UEFA Cup Tie

By Matthew Jones
December 15 2004

Magpies' manager Graeme Souness gives his views ahead of Newcastle's UEFA Cup clash at home to Sporting on Thursday night. One point would secure top place in Group D for Souness' men - which would see them face another UEFA Cup side, and not a team who have dropped out of the Champions League.

Newcastle are not doing too well in the Premiership at the moment, but can hopefully keep up thier good European form.

SOUNESS SAID: "We are in the results business, and we haven't been getting the results of late.

"But we have to remain optimistic and confident that those results will come for us. We have got some great players here at this club, and it will turn for us, we have to believe that."

HE ADDED: "We are expecting a tough game against Sporting, there is no doubt about that.

"They came here in pre-season, while I also have experience of playing against them after coming up against them in my time at Blackburn in the summer.

"They are a good side, and we don't know how they will approach the game.

"But we are only concerned about the way we play, and we know we can only approach it in one way and that is to go out and win the game.

"We have to go at them from the very first whistle and try to win the game. We know the importance of finishing top of the group, because we get an easier draw - on paper at least - in the next stage.

"We've done well to take maximum points from the games against Panionios, Dinamo Tbilisi and Sochaux, and we want to keep that run going with another three points."

Alan Shearer and Patrick Kluivert will both miss the game, as will Nicky Butt and Stephen Carr. Ronny Johnsen (ineligible) and Lee Bowyer (banned) will also miss the game, and Laurent Robert (thigh) is a doubt.

Keep track of the injuries in the Physio Room.

NEWCASTLE (FROM): Ambrose, Ameobi, Bellamy, Bernard, Bramble, Brittain, Dyer, Elliott, Given, Guy, Harper, Hughes, Jenas, Milner, O'Brien, Ramage, Robert, Taylor.