Source: SKY_Sports
Shearer - Martins is key
Alan Shearer believes Obafemi Martins' unpredictability could be a lethal weapon as Newcastle battle for Premier League survival.
The Magpies boss is gearing up for his second game in charge of the North East side with a tough trip to battling Stoke but is confident his strikers can fire the club to safety.
Much of the spotlight since the former Toon skipper's return to the club has been on his former team-mate for club and country Michael Owen.
However the 38-year-old believes Nigerian international Martins could play an equally significant role.
"He is a very different player to what Michael brings," Shearer said.
Fear
"But what the opposition fear with Oba is they are not sure what he is going to do because at times, he probably doesn't know himself.
"You can take that as a negative or a positive, but he is a threat.
"He is good in the air, he can score great goals and we are going to need that every bit as much from him as we are Michael, as we are Shola (Ameobi), as we are Andy Carroll.
"We are going to need all those players firing on all cylinders."
A beleagured Newcastle side have won just one of their last 13 games slipping into the drop zone in 18th place - three points adrift of derby rivals Sunderland in 17th spot.
Dangerous
After hitting the back of the net on just 12 occasions during that period, the former England international believes his side will overcome that worrying statistic if they can be more dangerous in the final third and supply their forwards.
"We are going to have to start creating some chances because otherwise there is no point in having Michael, no point in having Oba or the two big lads Shola and Andy, and hopefully Mark Viduka and the young lad Nile Ranger.
"We have got to start giving them a bit of ammo."
