Source: Northern_Echo
Campbell and Taylor pushing for first-team place
SOL Campbell and Steven Taylor pushed their claims for a first-team recall as Newcastle reserves beat Manchester City 1-0 yesterday afternoon.[LNB] The defensive duo joined Leon Best and Xisco in the starting line-up at the Magpies' Darsley Park training complex as boss Chris Hughton pondered his options ahead of Saturday's Premier League trip to Bolton.[LNB] Campbell and Taylor were on the substitutes' bench as Newcastle drew 0-0 with Fulham last weekend, but neither player will be happy with an extended absence from the first team.[LNB] Campbell is yet to start a Premier League game since moving to Tyneside in the summer, while Taylor has only just completed his recovery from the shoulder injury he sustained at Carlisle in pre-season.[LNB] Best has been nursing a long-term ankle injury, and yesterday's outing was his first at any level this season.[LNB] The Republic of Ireland international, who could find himself farmed out on loan if he is unable to break into first-team contention, helped set up the only goal of the game, nodding on Sam Ameobi's corner to enable substitute Matthew Grieve to score.[LNB] With Shola Ameobi ruled out of this weekend's trip to the Reebok Stadium, Best will hope to be involved in the squad that travels across the Pennines later this week.[LNB] Joey Barton will not feature against the Trotters as he serves the second of a three-match ban imposed following an altercation with Blackburn's Morten Gamst Pedersen last week.[LNB] Barton struck Pedersen in the chest at St James' Park, but the Norwegian has been impressed by the controversial midfielder's subsequent actions.[LNB] "He left a nice message on my answering machine and I called him up the minute we had finished our team meeting," said Pedersen.[LNB] "Joey shows that there is more to him than what came out on the pitch the other day, and I really appreciate it. It's not everyone who has the courage to call to apologise after such an episode, but Joey did without hesitation."[LNB] Meanwhile, Kazenga LuaLua has returned to Newcastle from Brighton after breaking his fibula in Saturday's 3-1 defeat at Hartlepool.[LNB]
