AMDY FAYE is relishing the prospect of competing with six times Premiership winner Nicky Butt for the right to act as the anchor man at Newcastle United.

Since making the £2m switch from Portsmouth in January, Faye has fitted in well at St James' Park and has contributed to the Magpies' turnaround in fortunes of late.

The Senegalese international was named in the starting line-up for last Sunday's victory over Bolton at the expense of Butt, who had recovered from an ankle problem.

Faye is hoping he has done enough to retain his place when Liverpool visit Tyneside this afternoon but that means his main rival for a first team place will have to make do with a place on the bench.

Butt has had a frustrating time of things since making the summer switch from Manchester United, as injuries have forced the England midfielder to spend much of the campaign in the stands.

He accepted the move to Newcastle in a bid to play regular first team football but the arrival of Faye means a tough battle even though he has found full fitness.

Faye is not deterred and admits he expected competition for places when he opted to leave Portsmouth. "It is not a problem. I am a professional, and when you are a professional and you play for a big club, you know you have to give your best in every game to keep your place," he said.

"Everybody understands that and I know the only way I will keep my place is to work hard. We have some very good players at the club, especially in midfield, and if you do not play well, you know there is always someone to take your place.

"It is a big, big challenge for me. Nicky Butt is a very experienced player who has won trophies in the past and he is a big player for the club.

"But I am happy to have the competition and like all the other midfielders, I will have to fight for my place. We have some very, very big players and I am happy to play with them."

Providing, as expected, Faye does keep his place at the heart of the midfield today then he will have his work cut out in trying to thwart the advances of Steven Gerrard.

The Liverpool midfielder is widely regarded as one of the best in the world in that position and will be eager to make amends for his own goal howler in last weekend's Carling Cup final.

But Faye is not concentrating on Gerrard. "He is a very big player and a very good player. I have played against him four, five or six times and he is very good," said the Newcastle man.

"But it is not about Steven Gerrard, it is about us getting three points for the club.

"We have to look past Gerrard and Liverpool to what matters to us, that is the most important thing.

"Maybe it is very important to him to play well after what happened last week, but while he is a very dangerous player, all that matters is a good result for us."

* Sam Allardyce is tipping Kevin Keegan to stay as Manchester City manager beyond next season.

The former England coach's contract expires at the end of the 2005-6 campaign and he has maintained he will leave Eastlands then.

Bolton boss Allardyce, however, believes Keegan could be persuaded to remain.

''I don't think that Kevin is doing anything other than he should do at the moment and that's seeing his contract out, '' said the Bolton boss, whose team face City on Monday.

''He could have a fantastic season next year and the fans will be singing for him and the directors will be throwing him another two or three-year contract.

''I am not so sure he would say 'no'.''

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