Krul Back In The Starting Line-Up!

08 January 2011 11:06
Alan Pardew says Tim Krul will return to first team action tonight in the FA Cup. Newcastle boss Alan Pardew is sweating on the fitness of a series of key players ahead of Saturday evening's FA Cup third round trip to Stevenage. Wednesday night's hat-trick hero Leon Best is struggling with a heel injury picked up in the 5-0 demolition of West Ham, and with Andy Carroll (thigh) and Shola Ameobi (ankle) already ruled out, youngster Nile Ranger is on stand-by. Defender Steven Taylor and midfielder Cheik Tiote both limped off with hamstring problems in midweek, and while Taylor is the bigger doubt, Pardew is hoping both could yet be available. Alan Smith (knee) and Sol Campbell (sore leg) are also struggling, while Hatem Ben Arfa (double leg fracture) and Ryan Taylor (ankle ligaments) are still out, but Dan Gosling (knee) is approaching full fitness. Stevenage will once again be without Darius Charles as he serves the final game of a three-match ban. Byron Harrison is also unavailable for manager Graham Westley after the recent signing played for non-league team Carshalton in the previous round. Westley could name an unchanged team from the one that beat Barnet on Monday. The League Two side will have to check on the fitness of striker Peter Winn, who came off the bench in the 4-2 victory over the Bees, only to be forced off in stoppage time. Joe Byrom, Darren Murphy and Lee Boylan will hope to be in contention after shaking off recent injuries. NEWCASTLE SQUAD: Harper, Krul, Simpson, Perch, Ferguson, Enrique, Coloccini, Williamson, S Taylor, Kadar, Barton, Tiote, Nolan, Smith, Routledge, Gutierrez, Guthrie, Vuckic, Tavernier, Donaldson, Lovenkrands, Best, Ranger, Xisco.  

Source: FOOTYMAD