NEWCASTLE marched to the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup with arguably the best squad of players in the club's recent history last season.

Unfortunately, several of them got crocked when they needed them most. Jonathan Woodgate, Craig Bellamy, Jermaine Jenas and Kieron Dyer were four of the biggest casualties as they strived on two fronts to clinch the UEFA Cup and win a place in the Champions League - they succeeded in neither.

The parallels between last year's campaign and the current one has a touch of Groundhog Day about it.

United, like last season, are bidding on two fronts once again - this time for the UEFA Cup and the FA Cup - and have several injury problems or absentees. Patrick Kluivert, Shola Ameobi and Celestine Babayaro have struggled all season with knocks but it looks as if Titus Bramble's absence will provide the biggest setback of all.

Last year, injury to the influential and majestic Woodgate punctured the wheel of United's fortunes. This time around it looks as if Bramble's hernia operation - keeping him out for up to six weeks - will leave United's hopes of landing silverware, forgive the pun, hamstrung.

Newcastle's much-maligned defence have laid the foundations for the club's recent success. Before Christmas United were leaking faster than the Titanic. But since boss Graeme Souness paired his unorthodox new centre half-signing Jean Alain Boumsong with Bramble, the Magpies have conceded only eight goals in 13 games - in the previous 13 matches 19 were leaked.

Newcastle's best chance of lifting a trophy, like last year, comes in the UEFA Cup - despite being in the FA Cup semi-finals - as no team left in the competition is as strong as Manchester United or Arsenal.

If United are to do so it will have to be without the injured Bramble, until at least the semi-finals, and the UEFA Cup-tied Boumsong

This evening the usually reliable Andy O'Brien and Arron Hughes were handed the difficult task of seeing the Magpies through to the next round and probably the semi-finals, with the precocious Steven Taylor, bizarrely, at left back.

O'Brien didn't instill any confidence of making any progress in the fourth minute when his weak header nearly let in the nippy Nery Castillo. Fortunately, Republic of Ireland team-mate Shay Given helped him out and cleared the ball off the striker's toes.

Had Nicky Butt's 20-yard strike found the net and not goalkeeper Antonios Nikoplidis' bar on 15 minutes, tensions would have been eased somewhat.

Kieron Dyer's brilliant back-heeled goal two minutes later, however, did the job, before Alan Shearer made the tie academic.

After Lee Bowyer put United 3-0 up Souness switched Hughes with Taylor to give the youngster a run out in his favoured centre half position.

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