SHAY Given has laughed off the latest bout of speculation linking him with a January move to Tottenham, and insisted he remains committed to helping Newcastle climb the Premier League table.

With Heurelho Gomes having dropped a series of costly clangers in recent weeks, Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is expected to spend up to £10m on an experienced goalkeeper when the transfer window reopens at the turn of the year.

Given’s name is known to have been discussed, and it would not be a surprise if Redknapp lodged a formal offer for the Republic of Ireland international next month.

Joe Kinnear would be extremely reluctant to accept it, but Given is ready to remove any uncertainty from the manager’s mind.

The 32-year-old has made more than 450 senior appearances since joining Newcastle in May 1997, and does not intend to sever his ties in the foreseeable future.

“I think the Tottenham thing is just speculation,” said Given, who has started all of Newcastle’s matches this season.

“That club has spent £7- 8m on a goalkeeper already, so I don’t think they’re going to spend any more on a goalkeeper.

“It’s purely speculation and talk in the papers. I’m sure that when Gomes gets his confidence back he’ll be a very, very good goalkeeper again.

But I wouldn’t want to leave Newcastle anyway. I’m very happy where I am.”

Given would be even more happy if Newcastle were to end a four-game winless run when they entertain Stoke at the weekend.

Consecutive goalless draws at Chelsea and Middlesbrough have boosted morale, but three points against the Potters are essential if the Magpies are to extricate themselves from the relegation battle at the foot of the table.

While Newcastle’s defence has received some rare plaudits in the wake of successive clean sheets, questions have been asked of a strike force that has failed to fire in the club’s last two matches.

Chances were few and far between at both Stamford Bridge and the Riverside, but with Mark Viduka and Shola Ameobi complementing a first-choice strike pairing of Obafemi Martins and Michael Owen, Given insists scoring goals will not be a problem.

“We’re not getting the goals at the moment, but I think there are goals in the team,” he said. “This team will score goals. You only have to look at the options we have going forward to see we don’t really need to worry about that.

“We’ve improved hugely in the defence, and that’s a good thing for us and bodes well. You look at the last two games where we’ve kept clean sheets in away games, and that’s the kind of base you need to build on. We’ve not won games, but we’ll take some consolation from the clean sheets.”

Kinnear is likely to stick with Martins and Owen when he names his starting line-up for Saturday’s game.

The former has been excused for storming down the Riverside tunnel after his substitution at the weekend, while the latter’s long-term future became a little clearer this week when Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez revealed he would not be chasing his services in January.

Owen, who is free to talk to prospective employers from January 1, had been linked with an emotional return to Anfield.

But while Liverpool’s lack of goals proved costly as they drew 0-0 with West Ham on Monday night, Benitez does not see Owen as the answer to his side’s problems.

“Clearly I can guarantee that we are not going for Owen,” said the Liverpool boss.

■ Newcastle’s reserves game at Manchester City was postponed because of a frozen pitch.

■ Newcastle’s England Under-21 skipper Steven Taylor is targeting victory in the 2009 European Championships, regardless of who they get in today’s draw for the finals.

Spain and hosts Sweden will be separated as top seeds, then England and Italy will be grouped in the next pot.

Belarus, Finland, Serbia and Germany make up the rest of the draw for next June’s tournament that will see the top two from two groups going into the semi-finals.

Taylor was in the side that lost to Holland on penalties at the last-four stage at the 2007 finals and said: ‘‘It has made me more hungry, it has made me want it even more.

‘‘Luckily it’s my second chance and I want to come away with a winner’s medal.

‘‘This squad is stronger than the one we took to Holland.

There is no reason we can’t play to our potential and win the competition.

‘‘The only thing in our heads is to win. We came so close last time and against Wales in the qualifying playoff we showed how much it means to us to go on and do well.

‘‘It’s a massive target. We don’t worry about any other side given our quality.”