GLENN Roeder will hand his wantaway Spanish misfit Albert Luque another chance to impress tonight, despite the £9.5m being involved in a car smash yesterday.

Luque was forced into a diversion to Manchester Airport after his Porsche Carrera was hit just outside Newcastle Airport while his team-mates prepared to board a flight to Germany ahead of tonight's final UEFA Cup group game against Eintracht Frankfurt.

Luque was not in the car at the time but didn't travel with the squad which included several Academy youngsters, with around ten senior players missing because of injury.

The Spaniard joined up with his team-mates in Frankfurt last night, but not in time to be involved in training at the Commerzbank-Arena.

Roeder, however, confirmed the 11-times capped international will start and despite the long injury list, he is unlikely to draft in any of the youngsters to his starting XI.

"He (Luque) was kept back by the police who wanted to speak to him and the lorry driver who crashed into Albert's vehicle," said Roeder last night.

"Thankfully he (Luque) was out of the vehicle at the time on the side of the road making a mobile phone call because he'd had a puncture.

"He's playing. He hasn't picked up an injury or anything and he's an experienced enough person not to let something like this effect him.

"We want him to have a run in the team but, as I've always said, that is up to Albert. We've used him in UEFA Cup matches and he'll play tomorrow. He's got a lot of experience of European football - he's played at Champions League level in Spain - and we certainly need that."

The 28-year-old recently warned he will leave the club if he isn't given a run in the team, with Real Betis and Villarreal competing for his signature back in his homeland.

Despite Roeder's injury list seemingly never ending, Luque is not expected to figure in the league match at home to Reading next week and his departure in January appears almost inevitable.

That injury list will force Roeder into deciding today whether he includes any Academy players in his starting line-up tonight alongside Luque.

There was some good news on the injury front with defender Celestine Babayaro travelling with the squad after recovering from a groin injury, and a fitness test this morning will determine whether he is involved.

Among those in contention from the Academy are defender Paul Huntington, 18, midfielders David Edgar, 19, and James Troisi, 18, and forward Andy Carroll, 17 , who came on as late substitute in the win over Palermo.

"We're here with 11 fit, what we would call senior, outfield players. I have to make up my mind overnight on who starts," said Roeder, who has the luxury of knowing he has already qualified for the last 32.

"What I have to decide is whether to blood two, three or even four Academy players I have with me. I haven't decided on the starting line-up.

"If some of these young players make their debuts then it will certainly be more important for the experienced players to help them out.

"We also know Frankfurt must win after their results so far. We know it's going to be a high-tempo game so we know if some of those young players start it's going to be very tough for them."

Despite Newcastle being in the knock-out stages in February whatever happens tonight, Roeder is determined not to go out of the group stages on a losing note, with the youngsters likely to be kept in reserve.

With a full house, including around 1,500 Newcastle fans, in the stadium tonight, the Newcastle boss will expect his experienced players to ensure they get at least a draw to guarantee top spot in Group H.

"It never crosses my mind going into any game of the possibility of not getting a good result," said Roeder.

"Even if we play some of the youngsters we can come away with a very good result. It's nice to have played three so far and won all three and be sitting with nine points. I know it will be a huge game for those young players. We'll see whether they're up for it."