Source: Daily_Mail
Stoke 1 Newcastle 1: Carroll singing but Toon remain in the bottom three
From one home-town hero to another as Alan Shearer's Newcastle finally mustered signs of life thanks to Andy Carroll.
Just when it appeared as if United's long-suffering supporters would be left waiting for their miracle to materialise from their messiah in Shearer, so Carroll popped up to answer their prayers.
However, United should have been dead and buried by the time the Gateshead-born 20-year-old headed an 81st-minute equaliser, cancelling out a first-half opener from old boy Abdoulaye Faye.
Newcastle boss Alan Shearer made five changes as his side started their crucial Barclays Premier League clash at relegation rivals Stoke one place off the foot of the table.
Sebastien Bassong returned from a groin injury to shore up the defence, while Shearer also brought in David Edgar, Damien Duff, Danny Guthrie and Shola Ameobi.
Two of the changes were enforced due to Peter Lovenkrands and Jose Enrique being out through injury and illness respectively, with Fabricio Coloccini and Jonas Gutierrez were benched, and Obafemi Martins was dropped.
As for Stoke, on the back of last weekend's 2-0 win at West Brom, manager Tony Pulis named an unchanged side.
In a raucous atmosphere at the Britannia Stadium the home side forced two corners inside the opening three minutes and came close to taking the lead from the second.
From Liam Lawrence's inswinger to the corner of the six-yard box Ryan Shawcross was allowed to rise all too easily, only to glance his header across the face of Stephen Harper's goal.
The first of Rory Delap's projectile throws into the Magpies area brought City another corner in the 13th minute, with Lawrence again the provider.
Ricardo Fuller just about gained purchase on a header towards the far post, with the loose ball falling to James Beattie whose flick was sidefooted away by Harper.
Duff then attempted to clear United's lines further, only to pass the ball straight to Delap who swiftly curled in an inviting cross.
