GRAEME Souness last night highlighted the loss of veteran midfielder Gary Speed as a major factor in Newcastle's current slump.

The embattled United boss leads his side into action against reigning champions Arsenal tonight looking to end a run of six home games without a win.

But, once again, he will do so without a defensive midfielder.

The wisdom of selling Speed in the summer was questionable enough at the time, and the move looks even more misguided given the persistent hamstring problems that look like sidelining Nicky Butt for another month.

Despite making 285 appearances for the Magpies after joining from Everton in February 1998, Sir Bobby Robson sold Speed to Bolton in the summer for just £750,000.

The 35-year-old has hardly missed a game at the Reebok Stadium and, with Newcastle shipping goals from every angle this season, Souness admits he would love to be able to draw upon Speed's defensive know-how this evening.

"I don't think there's any doubt that Newcastle have missed Gary Speed," said the United boss, who excelled in the same position during his playing career. "He's been an outstanding player throughout his career and you need big players at big clubs. He's been a big player for this club over the years.

"His position is a very important one. If you're doing that job properly, you're protecting your two central defenders. You're dealing with the shortest route to your goal.

"If you look at all the top teams, they've all got a player like that. Roy Keane, Claude Makeleke and Gilberto, when he plays, or Patrick Vieira when he doesn't.

"All the top sides have a player like that and we've been playing with Jermaine Jenas - who is 21 years old - whereas Makelele's 31 and Keane must be 33.

"It's a position for discipline and experience, and not having anyone to play there has hurt us."

Jenas has slotted into the holding role since Butt was injured in the middle of last month and, in that time, Souness' side have won just one league game and conceded 11 goals.

Newcastle's stand-in skipper might have all the attributes to succeed in that position, but his positional awareness occasionally lets him down and he is yet to exert the kind of physical dominance mastered by the likes of Keane and Vieira.

Souness accepts that his side have suffered from Butt's absence and, with the transfer window about to open on Saturday, the Scot is desperate to address the problem with some new blood.

"You just have to look at our results since Nicky's been out," he explained.

"He's the type of player to do that job because he's been around a while and he's now got experience. It's a position for understanding the game as it unfolds.

"We don't really have anyone else who can do that job. We've got defenders who you could put in at a push, but we don't have any more specialists.

"That's a position I'd like to fill because injuries happen in football. There's no guarantee that Nicky won't get another injury when he comes back, so I'd like to get a player like that in next month."

First though, he must deal with an Arsenal side firing on all cylinders again following their uncustomary recent blip.

Newcastle have enjoyed just one win in their last eight home games with the Gunners and, after making Paul Dickov look like a world-beater on Sunday, one shudders to think how the club's defenders will deal with the pace and poise of Thierry Henry.

"Henry is just one of several threats," warned Souness. "He's up there with anybody you want to name in world football today.

"He's a scorer of wonderful goals and he's a dream of a football player. I don't think anybody's quite worked out how to stop him yet.

"I know Chelsea are in the box seat at this moment in time, but I think every manager would love to have a team that play like Arsenal.

"That's the aim here. One day we'd love to give our supporters a team that plays like that, defends like that, and wins games like that."

With Patrick Kluivert's hamstring injury having ruled him out, Souness is sweating on the fitness of Shola Ameobi as he attempts to shake off the shoulder problem he picked up at Ewood Park.

The 23-year-old is expected to be fit this evening but, if he fails to make it, either Kieron Dyer or Laurent Robert will be asked to partner Craig Bellamy in an unorthodox striking role.

Lee Bowyer returns to the side following his one-match ban, while Titus Bramble should start after being dropped from the starting line-up on Sunday.

Skipper Alan Shearer returns to training later this week, although the former England international is unlikely to make Newcastle's two New Year games against Birmingham and West Brom.

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