Sheff Utd v Newcastle

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Sheffield United could slip into the relegation zone on Saturday, but victory over Newcastle would see them move to within three points of The Magpies.

The Blades' run of just one win in their last five games has seen them drop back into the relegation picture - as both Charlton and West Ham begin to find some form.

Boss Neil Warnock remains hugely confident in his side's abilities - but he knows that they need to win games at Bramall Lane.

Newcastle have not won a league match at United since 1972 - but they have only played once since the inception of the Premiership when The Blades won in 1994.

Warnock will be able to call on striker Danny Webber again as he has overcome a foot injury. Webber's return is a timely boost after Rob Hulse was ruled out for the season - although Christian Nade and Jon Stead still look ahead of him in the pecking order.

Ahmed Fathi and Luton Shelton are also pushing hard after they came through a midweek 'A' game alongside Matthew Kilgallon.

For Newcastle - Craig Moore has responded surprisingly well to a groin problem - after he limped out of the defeat to Manchester City.

The Australian is now in line to keep his place the starting XI. If he does not make the game then Steven Taylor, Oguchi Onyewu and Titus Bramble will battle it out to start in central defence.

Skysports.com prediction 1-1
All square at Bramall Lane.

Player to watch: Obafemi Martins

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[Mighty T.A.L.]

Sheffield Utd 1 Newcastle Utd 2: Martins strike helps stem the Tyne slide

March, according to their captain Chris Morgan, was "a difficult month" for Sheffield United; on yesterday's showing it looks like April could be even worse. A desperate second-half flurry yielded a late equaliser, but then, with 10 minutes remaining, Steven Taylor headed a winner that leaves the Blades squirming in the relegation zone.

"I'm disappointed," said the Sheffield United manager, Neil Warnock. "I'm as sick as the old proverbial, but you can't ask any more than for your players to give everything and they did. At 1-1, I couldn't see anyone winning it but us.

"It's just disappointing that Newcastle haven't really had to do anything for the goals."

Sheffield have lived all season with the fear of relegation, Newcastle had seemingly only just woken up to it, and the result was a game scrappy and tense. Only one player stood out above the morass of frantic challenges and misplaced passes: Obafemi Martins.

There was some talk that his £10million fee was excessive when he arrived from Internazionale in the summer, but he looked worth every penny yesterday. To begin with, the Nigerian gave his side a 17th-minute lead with a goal of outstanding quality. He began the move, laying the ball out to the left, from where Damien Duff sent over a high centre. Chris Armstrong failed to get across to mark James Milner at the back of the box, and the 21-year-old knocked it down for Martins, who did superbly to get over the ball and guide a 20-yard volley past Paddy Kenny.

He almost scored an extraordinary second as well, dispossessing Kenny, and curling a shot against the post. Antoine Sibierski then thrashed the rebound over with Kenny still yards from his goal. Warnock made much of "five or six chances" his side wasted - two or three might be a more objective assessment - but Sheffield United have suffered from a lack of goals; only Watford have scored fewer this season.

Such profligacy, of course, is characteristic, and Newcastle seemed to have thrown away another leading position as they succumbed to the physical threat of Christian Nade. He glanced a header wide, and then, with 15 minutes remaining, sidefooted an equaliser after being cleverly picked out in a packed box by Nick Montgomery. A draw would have lifted Sheffield United out of the relegation zone, but within five minutes they had succumbed, Taylor climbing above Chris Lucketti to convert Milner's corner.

Glenn Roeder had held meetings with Newcastle players this week "to remind them of a couple of things" and to alleviate a "loss of confidence", and he was delighted with what he saw as "a deserved win".

That was confirmed by a fine injury-time save from Shay Given to keep out a Danny Webber curler. It lifts Newcastle into the top half, and, with 40 points, they are now surely safe. For Sheffield United, though, the sense of dread mounts.

Source: The Independent


Steven Taylor scores the winning goal.

[kennethlindheim]

We needed this win so much. It was a must win game and thankfully we did it. Sounded like Sheff Utd was terrible, they will most certain go down. Now I'm just relieved to be looking forward to premiership football next season.

[Pennywise]

Jepp...this points will probably save our contract in EPL. Its nine points down to relegation and I don't think the teams there will win so many points in the last matches of the season.

But its time to some changes in N'castle when this season is over. A new manager and a dozen new players have to come in.