Source: Daily_Mail
Newcastle defender Sol Campbell in line to face Chelsea
Sol Campbell's first Premier League start for Newcastle United moved a step closer on Wednesday after team-mate Mike Williamson became the club's second defender to be handed a three-match ban for hitting Bolton striker Johann Elmander. [LNB]Campbell and former England Under 21 captain Steven Taylor are both in line to face champions Chelsea at St James's Park on Sunday as stand-ins for first choice defensive pair Williamson and Fabricio Coloccini. [LNB] Heart and Sol: Campbell is in line to start against Chelsea this weekend [LNB]Former Portsmouth defender Williamson had denied a charge of violent conduct over the incident involving Bolton's Swedish record signing in Newcastle's 5-1 defeat at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday. [LNB]But an FA statement said: `At an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing today, Newcastle United defender Mike Williamson was given a three-match suspension for violent conduct.'[LNB]Suspended: Williamson was hit with a three-match ban on Wednesday [LNB]Earlier in the week, Argentina international Coloccini was also suspended for the three matches against Chelsea, West Brom and Liverpool for elbowing Elmander in the second half. [LNB]The incident involving Williamson was missed by Howard Webb but after the World Cup Final referee reviewed video footage of it, he indicated he would have produced a red card had he seen it. [LNB]Newcastle will feel particularly aggrieved that Williamson is the second Newcastle player to be charged with the same offence on video evidence in less than a fortnight. [LNB]Midfielder Joey Barton is currently serving a three-match ban for punching Blackburn's Morten Gamst Pedersen in the chest during his side's 2-1 home defeat on November 10.Barton's last game of his suspension is on Sunday. [LNB]Earlier in the season the club sent the FA and Referees' Association videos of incidents involving their players which had gone unpunished, most notably Nigel de Jong's tackle which ended Hatem Ben Arfa's season with a broken leg. The footage was dismissed by the FA and refs' chief Mike Riley. [LNB]The absence of Hughton's first choice centre-backs offers a fresh start to Campbell and Taylor. After missing pre-season and arriving on Tyneside out of shape, Campbell's only start for Hughton came in the 4-3 Carling Cup third-round victory at Chelsea in September. He has seen struggled with a thigh injury since and returned to the side as a substitute at Bolton. [LNB]Taylor has yet to play this season after he dislocated his shoulder in the first pre-season game at Carlisle but has recently played a handful of reserve team matches. The London-born defender, a product of the club's Academy, is out of contract at the end of the season and negotiations over a fresh deal broke down earlier this year. [LNB] Williamson hit with three-match ban for head-butting Bolton's ElmanderWilliamson denies violent conduct charge after nasty clash with ElmanderNEWCASTLE UNITED FC
