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Geremi stresses that a win is no formality
THEY have little to be complacent
about given a run of 13 Premier
League matches without a
victory, but Geremi has still
warned his Newcastle teammates
not to be over-confident
ahead of this afternoons relegation
clash with Fulham.
Newcastles improved secondhalf
display at Birmingham has
buoyed confidence ahead of
todays encounter with the Cottagers,
a game that the Magpies
are odds-on to win despite their
dreadful record under Kevin Keegan.
Fulhams away record this season
is dire C Roy Hodgsons side
have won none of their 14 league
games on the road C and Newcastles
last Premier League success
came at the London clubs
Craven Cottage ground on December
15 courtesy of Joey Bartons
last-minute penalty.
Geremi accepts that nothing
less than a win will do this afternoon
given the Magpies struggles
in the bottom half of the
table, but the Cameroon international
is adamant that victory
should not be viewed as a formality.
The performance at Birmingham
was encouraging, but no
more than that, he said. We
played some of our best football
for a while in the second half, but
we cannot get carried away
thinking we only have to turn up
against Fulham and the game is
won.
It doesnt work like that in the
Premier League. Everything is so
close in every game. That is the
leagues strength C there are no
points given to you for free.
People have said we need to
beat Fulham, Reading and Sunderland
at home, but it is not as
easy as that. Every game is a battle,
and every team has players
who can hurt you. We have players
who can do that as well, but
we need all our top players at
their best.
Geremis warning has been
echoed by former Newcastle midfielder
and coach Lee Clark.
Clark, who is currently working
alongside ex-Magpies manager
Glenn Roeder at Norwich City,
made 169 appearances for Fulham
in a six-year stint at the club
between 1999-2005.
The 35-year-old, who continues
to follow Newcastles fortunes
closely in East Anglia, insists the
Cottagers are capable of springing
a surprise at St James Park,
and has singled out American
striker Brian McBride as the
player most likely to do the damage.
McBride scored in both of
Fulhams 2-1 victories over the
Magpies last season.
Brian is a very good player -
an under-rated player - and I believe
he is the biggest threat to
Newcastle, said Clark. That really
goes without saying given
his previous record, as does the
fact it is a huge game for both my
old clubs.
ö James Milner will be sidelined
for the next three weeks as he
continues to recover from the
foot injury he sustained in this
months 3-0 defeat at Liverpool.
The midfielder, who has been
unable to remove the protective
cast currently covering his foot,
is unlikely to appear before the
home game with Sunderland on
April 20.
James is still two or three
weeks away from being back
with us, said Keegan. He will
have a plastic boot on for another
ten days, and then he can start
some light training.
8:35am Saturday 22nd March 2008
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