Newcastle manager Chris Hughton defends decision to stand by Andy Carroll

An uncharacteristically spiky Hughton, speaking ahead of Newcastle's crunch game against Nottingham Forest tonight, is unapologetic over his stance even though he dropped Carroll earlier this season following a separate breach of discipline. "I don't really have to go into specifics," Hughton said. "For every team I pick I pick what I feel is the best team to win a football match for me. Around that there are issues of fitness, form, individuals, players coming back - those are the things that I take into account. "My job is to manage this football club and this group of lads. Around that will always come decisions. I have to make decisions every week on whichever team I pick. Sometimes you get things right, sometimes you get things wrong and I will continue to make decisions I believe are right." Taylor is currently nursing a jaw broken in two places following the training-ground incident as well as recovering from a knee injury but Hughton has insisted the centre-half could figure this season presumably alongside Carroll. "We're hoping that he'll play at some stage this season. We're still assessing where he is in his rehabilitation," said Hughton. He also stressed both Carroll and Taylor would "absolutely" be at the club next season despite the off-field issues which he is determined will not be a distraction for the Championship leaders as he prepares to pit his wits against Forest counterpart Billy Davies and his third-placed side on Tyneside. "I think it's part and parcel of football life," Hughton added. "What we have to do is make sure we're focused enough on football matches and that's what we have been. "My philosophy is we've got to do everything we can to win football matches. We've got a crowd here with high expectations. They expect us to get promotion. That means winning enough football matches to do that and that's why such a big focus remains on winning those games. "I think that at football clubs there will always be issues and it's about working around the issues and on the important thing - winning enough games. We have high expectations here and to meet them we have to win games and that is our focus. "Everyone in the game - everyone in the position I'm in - has to always work the issues as they see them. Some managers might be more vocal than others, some not so. Of course, that's part and parcel of what a manager does."

Source: Telegraph