Source: Northern_Echo
Match Preview: Newcastle United v Ipswich Town
NEWCASTLE Harper Simpson Coloccini Williamson Enrique Routledge Guthrie Nolan Gutierrez Carroll Lovenkrands Wickham Walters D Murphy Leadbitter Colback O'Connor Norris Smith McAuley D Wright B Murphy IPSWICH Newcastle subs (from): Krul (gk), Kadar, R Taylor, Butt, Smith, Barton, Pancrate, Ameobi, Best. Ipswich subs (from): R Wright (gk), Peters, Garvan, Rosenior, Clark, Brown, Hyam, Eastman. NEWCASTLE: Chris Hughton is hoping to have both Fabricio Coloccini and Jonas Gutierrez available for his side's final home game of the season.[LNB] Coloccini has shaken off the hamstring injury that kept him out of Monday's win at Plymouth, while Gutierrez is back in training after a thigh problem.[LNB] Fitz Hall (hamstring) and Nile Ranger (ankle) are definitely out, while Wayne Routledge is a minor doubt after injuring his hand. Steven Taylor (knee) returned to training this week, but is unlikely to be involved in the squad. Suspensions: None Injuries: Hall (hamstring), S Taylor (knee), Ranger (ankle) Last five league games: WWWWW Leading league scorer: Nolan 17 Next game: vs QPR (A) 02/05/10 IPSWICH: Former Sunderland duo David Healy and Carlos Edwards will both be absent this afternoon. Healy is struggling with a knee injury, while Edwards is still recovering from the after-effects of a bout of chicken pox. Three players with Black Cats connections will still be involved though ex-Sunderland midfielders Daryl Murphy and Grant Leadbitter, and loanee Jack Colback. Luciano Civelli and Damien Delaney are both long-term absentees. Suspensions: None Injuries: Healy (knee), Edwards (illness), Civelli (knee), Delaney (knee) Last five league games: DLWWD Leading league scorer: Walters 7 Key Player: Connor Wickham Roy Keane has pledged to do all he can to keep the highly-rated 17-year-old at Portman Road this summer. Last season: No corresponding fixture League head to head: Newcastle 15, Ipswich 14, Draws 12 Referee: Carl Boyeson (Hull) G31 Y63 R5 Ave: 2.19 Last Newcastle game: No previous match Odds: H1/2; A4/1; D14/5 It's a fact: If Newcastle avoid defeat this afternoon, they will have gone through an entire league season unbeaten at home for the first time in 103 years. Comment by SCOTT WILSON: It's party time at St James' this afternoon, and it's hard to see an Ipswich side with nothing to play for raining on Newcastle's parade.[LNB] Prediction: 3-0[LNB]
