NEWCASTLE United defender Steve Caldwell has admitted his career is still in limbo.

Centre-back Caldwell this week won praise from manager Sir Bobby Robson for helping to cover in the absence of Jonathan Woodgate.

After two months out recovering from a double hernia operation, £9m Woodgate makes his senior comeback when United host Kevin Keegan's Manchester City at St. James' Park tomorrow afternoon.

Caldwell's first-team prospects again look bleak, with Titus Bramble and Andy O'Brien ahead of him in the central defensive pecking order. But Caldwell, who last season attracted the attention of Rangers and was this term the subject of a loan enquiry from Sunderland, is intent on grabbing any chance to show his worth.

The Scottish international, on the bench for his country's Euro 2004 play-off hammering by Holland on Wednesday, said: "My contract is up at the end of the season, so I have a lot to prove to Newcastle or any other team who may be looking around next summer."

Newcastle's Shay Given, set to clock up his 104th consecutive Premiership appearance this weekend, has been hailed as the best goalkeeper in Europe by Republic of Ireland boss Brian Kerr.

The Republic beat Canada 3-0 in a friendly at Landsdowne Road on Tuesday, and Kerr said: "I thought Shay made two world-class saves. He's our Mr Reliability and we know we are in safe hands with him.

"I would say Shay is as good a keeper as there is in Europe at the moment."

If Given faces City, he will be only eight games short of the Premiership record held by Chelsea left-back Wayne Bridge, who chalked up 112 appearances in a row.

City's former Sunderland midfielder Claudio Reyna, who had been sidelined with a hamstring injury, now has flu and has pulled out of his return to the North-East.

But one-time Newcastle target Trevor Sinclair is back in the City squad after recovering from a thigh injury.

Meanwhile, City coach Stuart Pearce has admitted his long-term aim is to return to management, though the former England international is in no rush to give up his coaching role alongside manager Kevin Keegan.

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