The Mags v The Baggies (28/10/08)

Tonight sees us play the only fixture of the evening in the Premiership against West Brom.

Heres the build up courtesy of the BBC

Joey Barton could start for Newcastle with both Michael Owen and Nicky Butt out of the clash with West Brom.

Owen (groin) and Butt (ankle) are expected to give way to Barton and Jonas Gutierrez, who appeared as subs in the 2-1 defeat at Sunderland.

West Brom winger Chris Brunt could be recalled with manager Tony Mowbray considering a five-man midfield.

Central defender Abdoulaye Meite (calf) and midfielders Filipe Teixeira (calf) and Kim Do-Heon (knee) are both out.

Newcastle from: Given, Harper, Beye, Edgar, Enrique, N’Zogbia, Taylor, Coloccini, Cacapa, Bassong, Tozer, Guthrie, Geremi, Duff, Barton, Jonas, Doninger, Xisco, Ameobi, Martins, Carroll, Donaldson, Ranger, Danquah.

West Brom from: Carson, Kiely, Zuiverloon, Hoefkens, Barnett, Donk, Olsson, Robinson, Cech, Morrison, Greening, Koren, Valero, Brunt, Miller, Bednar, Moore, Slusarski, MacDonald, Pele.

Newcastle take on West Bromwich Albion at St James’ Park, hunting a first win in eight Premier League outings, and only their second of the season.

West Brom travel, eager to avoid a third successive league loss, after a 4-0 thrashing at Manchester United, and 0-3 Hawthorns humbling by Hull on Saturday.

Newcastle hold an unbeaten Premier League record against West Brom, and a 100% return from home games with them (three wins out of three).

The Magpies did the double over the Baggies with two 3-0 wins, when they last were in the top division together in 2005-06.

Albion have not won on Tyneside since Cyrille Regis, Laurie Cunningham and Bryan Robson scored in a 0-3 top-flight trouncing on 10 September 1977.

Distance between the clubs: 212 miles (342 kilometres)

Ref - Mike Dean

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Its fair to say that for the Mags this is a must win game - this for me will be a true litmus test of our fan base, a Tuesday night outing in what promises to be a very cold night on Tyneside with a match thats being shown on the TV. I hope that like me everyone will be donning thier scarves etc and heading for the stands - if ever the lads needed us its tonight - anything else but a victory this evening would start to ring alarm bells for a team thats been pummelled in their last 2 games. I look forward to being cold but happy come 9:40 this evening!

Baggies preview here.

Howay the lads!

KTF

Robbo