Source: SKY_Sports
Newcastle v Portsmouth preview
Newcastle are gearing up for perhaps the biggest game of their season when they welcome fellow strugglers Portsmouth to St James' Park on Monday.[LNB] Manager Alan Shearer certainly thinks so after declaring that the clash would be the biggest game of his career.[LNB]The Magpies legend sounded a rallying cry to the supporters over the weekend in a bid to crank up the volume inside the stadium to push the players to what would be a vital three points.[LNB]In short the hosts have to win. Their boss has set them a target of winning their remaining three home games, Pompey, Middlesbrough and Fulham, to give them a fighting chance of survival.[LNB]The Magpies currently sit second bottom, four points from safety as Shearer looks to find his first win since taking charge three games ago.[LNB]Must winWith all the furore surrounding Shearer's appointment, and the importance of securing maximum points, many fans have forgotten that Pompey are on a good run of form, despite their lowly league position.[LNB]The South Coast club are seven points better off than Newcastle and have lost just once, a 2-0 reverse at Manchester United last Wednesday, in their last six games.[LNB]Manager Paul Hart has made his side harder to beat and plastered over the cracks of a defence that was leaky at best under ex-boss Tony Adams.[LNB]Pompey have conceded just seven goals in their last seven Premier League games, including two clean sheets, but they have also found goals hard to come by during that time.[LNB]Hart's side have scored just six in that seven-game period and rely heavily on striker Peter Crouch to put the ball in the back of the net with the England ace scoring three of the six strikes, although the target man has not scored in his last three.[LNB]Team newsNewcastle striker Michael Owen is also struggling for form with no goal in his last eight outings but Shearer has already put his faith in the former Liverpool man.[LNB]Obafemi Martins and Mark Viduka are both fit, although the pair are constantly being monitored due to their precarious fitness history, and the Magpies chief could start the match with all three upfront.[LNB]Defender Jose Enrique could also come back into the equation after missing the last two games with a knee injury. The left-back returned to training last week and is said to have fully recovered.[LNB]However Steven Taylor is likely to miss out after the reccurrence of an ankle injury forced him off against Tottenham last week.[LNB]Midfielder Joey Barton is also unlikely to return as was initially mooted with the 26-year-old still struggling with his metatarsal injury.[LNB]The visitors are set to be without the creative spark of Niko Kranjcar again with the midfielder still suffering from the ankle injury he picked up against Bolton.[LNB]Defender Younes Kaboul is also likely to miss out after failing to recover from a thigh injury.[LNB]However David Nugent has shrugged off the hip problem which forced him off at half-time in the midweek defeat to United and he is expected to start again.[LNB]Possible starting XIs[LNB]Newcastle: Harper, R.Taylor, Enrique, Beye, Bassong, Butt, Nolan, Gutierrez, Owen, Martins, Viduka.[LNB]Portsmouth: James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson, Davis, Hughes, Nugent, Belhadj, Mullins, Crouch.[LNB]
