Newcastle United Football Club

• Nickname:Magpies
• Founded:1881
• Manager:Alan Pardew

• Ground:St James' Park
• Capacity:52193

Martins faces fitness battle

19 Dec 2008 - 12:00:01

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Newcastle United striker Obafemi Martins could miss Sunday's Premier League clash against Tottenham with the groin injury he picked up in the 3-0 victory at Portsmouth.

The Nigeria international will be given every chance to prove his fitness, but Magpies boss Joe Kinnear fears the worst.

The veteran manager said: "We're monitoring it, but it's touch and go. We're going to leave it as late as possible.

"He'll have a fitness test on Saturday morning, but it's not looking too good at the moment. He got injured just before he scored and that was why he didn't do his normal somersaults.

"He'd be a big loss to us because we certainly need his pace. He's caused numerous problems to all the opposition we've played. But it's just wait and see, really."

Meanwhile, Kinnear is hoping to extend his side's five-match unbeaten run into the new year, adding: "The league is that tight at the moment we can't let up.

"We can't expect any favours from other teams and the only thing we have to concentrate on is our result.

"If we win and everybody else wins around us then so be it, but we know that if we continue to pick up points the chances are we'll climb away from trouble.

"We're unbeaten in five matches now, three of which were away, but we must carry on with that run into 2009.

"I'm delighted with how things are going at the moment and confidence is very high. We can't wait for Spurs and hopefully we'll be sat here talking about a six-game unbeaten run come Sunday night."