Newcastle United will not have to worry about the Latics “Dirty Plan” to wind-up Joey Barton on the Boxing day match to get him sent-off as Big Sam didn’t even include him on his travelling Toon squad to JJB Stadium.

Bart being report has a slight ankle injury. On the central defensive pairing, both David Rozehnal and Claudio Cacapa are being replaced by Steven Taylor and Abdoulaye Faye. Roz also didn’t make a trip today and have an extended Christmas with his family.

In midfield, Big Sam give Damien Duff his first start of the season while Geremi and Turkish playmaker Emre are also recalled. Geremi playing today without his regular arm band as Big Sam handed it to Alan Smith who is partnered with Big Vid up front.

Jose Enrique, Cacapa, Nicky Butt, and Nigerian striker Oba Martins are waiting on the bench, while Michael Owen will have to wait until weekend for a possible return.

Wigan start the match and are straight on the attack. They got the first real test for United defence in 12 minutes, when Sibierski gets the ball off N’Zogbia on the left and release a crosses. Smith who is back defending only can hacks it away from the penalty spot.

The ball only goes as far as Scharner who controls it and aim for Given’s target, the 25-yard strike deflected Geremi and the ball runs safe through to Given. They also have a shout for a spot-kick when Smith and Sibierski collide inside the area in 16th minutes but referee Mike Dean rightly waves away the protests.

Afer twenty minutes of play, United start to meet the form and try to give real pressure to the home side. Beye’s
overlapping run from United right sees off Kilbane but his cross fails to find a black and white shirt. A good opening but sadly United were unable to capitalise.

We also have one scary moment in half an hour mark, when Melchiot deep crosses aiming for Sibierski on the penalty spot. Sib climbs above Taylor to head the ball for the run of strike partner Bent, but Given is able to claim. Given’s clearance only goes as far as Ryan Taylor who immediately returns into the area but Bent is unable to control and United clear.

The poor first-half performance from both sides ended with no goals. Both side starts the second period without changes and this time United lead the attack.

Steven Taylor springs Milner clear with a lofted pass out to the right-wing in the first four minutes into the second-half, the England Under-21 star attacks the by-line but his cross is too close to Kirkland who can plucks it from the air at his near post.

United got the best chance so far on this game when Melchiot’s back pass is too soft and short, Milner charges down while Kirkland attempts to clear, the ball spoons in the air and Viduka hooks back over his head towards goal.

For seconds it looks destined for his third goal in two games with Wigan’s goalkeeper Kirkland stranded, but Titus “the Fear Factor” Bramble recovers to head away at the last minute for a corner. Zog takes the flag kick from the right but the home side can manage clear.

From the clearance, the Latics made a break and Emre has to scamper back to guide the ball back to Given with Marcus Bent in pursuit.

Later on the hour mark, Fear Factor Bramble surges down the left and taken out as he tries to go between the challenge of Viduka and Milner but Mike Dean blows for a free-kick. Wigan’s Taylor takes it but United’s Taylor heads it away from the penalty spot.

And if there’s hope, at least we can manage to get the early minutes of both period safe from sloppy goals, but it’s the Boxing Day away win that is look still far-far away from our grab, and will have to wait for another year to try it once again.

In sixty-four minutes, Brown controls the ball on his chest before tries to take aim for Given’s target but being brought down by Smith’s challenge 20 yards out resulting a free-kick in dangerous position. Ryan Taylor steps up and curl it above and goes beyond the United wall and Shay Given for the Latics goal.

Big Sam response by taking off Geremi and bring in another striker Obafemi Martins. After the changes, Emre immediately switches play to Milner on the right, Milner has the whole box to aim at but elects to pull back looking for the runs of Martins.

The ball bobbles through for Duff on the left of the penalty area, the Irish star takes a touch but when he gets his shot away it is charged down by Scharner and Wigan clear. That was his last action on his return day and Sam Allardyce call him off to bring in left back Jose Enrique.

And yet, the same old story happens again in our defence. Steven Taylor plays the ball back to Given but it’s an awkward one. Shay has to take a touch before clearing it out with Marcus Bent racing in and in the panic situation, United stopper almost hooks the ball into his own net. Luckily it clears the crossbar and goes behind for a corner. Landzaat takes but the Magpies are able to clear this one.

Another sad result for United’s attempt on Boxing day, and another one goal margin at JJB Stadium from the same man who scores it for the Latics last season. This will leave a big question mark again for Sam Allardyce and the Lads commitments. Postmortem to follow…

TEAMS

Wigan AFC:
Chris Kirkland, Mario Melchiot (c), Paul Scharner, Titus Bramble, Kevin Kilbane, Antonio Valencia, Denny Landzaat, Michael Brown, Ryan Taylor (Salomon Olembe 74″), Marcus Bent, Antoine Sibierski (Julius Aghahowa 71″)
Subs: Mike Pollitt, Emmerson Boyce, Josip Skoko

Newcastle United FC:
Shay Given, Habib Beye, Charles N’Zogbia, Steven Taylor, Abdoulaye Faye, Geremi (Oba Martins 66″), Emre, Alan Smith (c), Damien Duff (Jose Enrique 78″), James Milner, Mark Viduka
Subs: Claudio Cacapa, Steve Harper, Nicky Butt

Referee: Mike Dean
Attendance: 20, 304

Another away performance which is can not be described as a much more improvement than our last two games. This one is kind of boring and backwards from the way we play on our last fixtures against Arsenal or Birmingham.

Newcastle have a good chance to take the lead in quarter with Butt switches play to Milner, twists inside and out of Omozusi and crosses deep into Fulham’s penalty area. Barton who gets there first only sees his header saved by the legs of Niemi on the goal-line.

Martins is playing too deep today and often have to search for the ball because the lack of services from Toon midfielder. His one-two with Beye in the fifth minutes or so find the overlapping Rozehnal. Martins, on the edge of the area waiting for the cross but it’s Stefanovic who clear.

Minutes later, Newcastle’s adopted left-back N’Zogbia tries to force his way into the Cottagers box but is stopped in his tracks by Stefanovic who’s screwed clearance goes behind for a left-wing corner. Two corners for the Magpies but both Geremi’s take didn’t produce any danger and Dempsey hacks the latest one away.

As being reported before, 4,000 travelling Toon Army are making some noise as the game start with the home side do the attack. Cacapa who returns from hamstring injury succeded to taking care of a clever ball from David in-behind the Toon backline and resulting a throw-in on the left-flank.

Martins has triple half-chance to scores in the first-half. First from Milner crosses in 41st minute. Niemi is under pressure from the Nigerian but does well to claim the ball inside the six-yard area. His second came from Geremi’s swing ball over from the right.

Fulham’s skipper, an ex-Magpie Aaron Hughes jumps with Martins to head clear. N’Zogbia get the clear ball and crack it from 25 yards, the effort is weak and Niemi is able to save low to his left easily.

Geremi hooks a ball forward and Martins has stole a march on Hughes near the end of first-half. It looks like Martins was clean through on Niemi’s goal but Hughes does very well to recover and guides the ball back to his keeper.

In second half, Newcastle almost got caught again by the home side. Keep losing possession at midfield with both Geremi and Barton looks hardly to produce the decent performance today. Bouazza runs at Beye and Geremi from midfield on the left, He darts in-between them and takes aim for Given’s goal.

The ball deflected and spins across the target but luckily for the Magpies, the ball was evades the upright by a matter of inches. Big Sam must be furious when he’s looking at the way the lads perform today.

Another weak defensive efforts from the lads in 57minutes, when Davis’ header causes confusion and Healy capitalise it, this time the Northern Irish striker shoot the ball first time from 20 yards out but his effort is straight at Given. If we have been playing with the Big Four teams, we have been punished by that.

Sam Allardyce sees enough and he is replacing the “Skipper” with Emre in 57 minutes. Smith take the arm band from Geremi, who is having another quite poor appearance.

Habib Beye, who is the only United’s defender who is playing well today has to turned behind Davies lovely ball out to the left for Bouazza, after the Toon backline are stretched again.

Emre’s appearance in Toon midfield change the game. He drives Newcastle forward and feeds delicious ball for Martins, he has two defenders in close attendance but manages to back-heel into the path of Milner, the young winger bursts into the area and looks for Smith. Stefanovic is tracking the United skipper’s run and cuts out the delivery before Bocanegra clears.

Big Sam has more homework to do after today. Newcastle looks fragile in defensive set pieces. From Bouazza’s work on Newcastle’s right sees off Beye before cross it from the left-hand touchline. Cacapa cut out at the near post, but the other Newcastle players can’t fully clear it.

The ball is forced behind amid a crowd of bodies in the penalty area. Davies takes but after a game of head tennis inside the box Cacapa hacks behind for another flag-kick. Dempsey heads well over from Davies’ corner.

Fulham making changes with Shefki Kuqi replaced Simon Davies, while Newcastle replacing Martins to bring in Mark Viduka to partner with his former Leeds team mate up front.

The game looks destined to have a draw, before in the dying seconds, Fulham fans appeal for a penalty as Dempsey runs into Cacapa inside the area but Howard Webb rightly waves away the appeals. It’s a bit harsh but the luck is not on the Cottagers side for today.

It was Newcastle who is once again grab the last minutes winning goal. After just around a minute from our penalty box incident, Alan Smith is tripped by the sliding Omozusi inside the host penalty area and Howard Webb quickly points to the spot.

Without Martins and Geremi presence on the field, it was Joey Barton who grabs the ball and kept his nerves before steps up to slot home past Anti Niemi for his first goal since April 9 on the very same ground. I must say we are lucky to get out with a point from Craven Cottage, but to have three points on hands is the other lucky bonus.

TEAMS

Fulham FC:
Anti Niemi, Carlos Bocanegra, Dejan Stefanovic, David Healy, Steven Davis, Aaron Hughes (c), Elliot Omozusi, Clint Dempsey, Hameur Bouazza, Simon Davies (Shefki Kuqi 73″), Danny Murphy.
Subs: Tony Warner, Seol Ki-Hyeon, Alexey Smertin, Chris Baird.

Newcastle United FC:
Shay Given, Habib Beye, Charles N’Zogbia, David Rozehnal, Claudio Cacapa, Nicky Butt, Geremi (Emre, 57″), Joey Barton, James Milner, Oba Martins (Mark Viduka, 77″), Alan Smith.
Subs: Steve Harper, Jose Enrique, David Edgar.

Referee: Howard Webb.
Attendance: 24, 959.

Birmingham get the second period in much the stronger of the two sides, while the rain keep running down at St. James’ Park.

The Blues first-half scorer, Jerome burns by Taylor and cuts back looking for the arriving of McSheffrey. Rozehnal read the situation this time and slides to concede a corner. Larsson takes but Given is able to claim at his near post.

The Man-Of-The-Match performance by James Milner, illustrated the new United style of the game, and he keep tries to get the Magpies going and darts in from the left flank. His near an hour mark worked in a yard for a shot in-between Kelly and Schmitz, the ball skids up the watery St. James’s surface but evades both the dive of Taylor and his far post.

And another back in form display from N’Zogbia in 65minutes, crosses low from the left and the ball once again skids right across the face of goal, with no-one to turn the delivery ball home and the Blues survive. Yet in the matter of time, the ball would be surely get in.

With the amount of possessions so far, United should’ve been two or three goals up. But with the kind of wet and slippery surface like today, I can understand it was even more difficult to control the ball in a pacey football game from both side.

In 69 minutes, Viduka cleverly turn and creates a space 30 yards out, the Aussie star one-two passes with Smith before worked the ball wide for Joey Barton. BarToon tries to force his way into the area and resulting a corner off Kelly.

N’Zogbia takes the deliver with Birmingham can only half clear, the ball drops back to Barton but his first time shot is blocked by the sliding Nafti.

Sam Allardyce making the second United changes and taken off his skipper and bring in the Turkish delight Emre to the field.

Joey Barton loses possession on halfway and in frustration trips Cameron Jerome, Mr. Styles has no option but to give United midfielder a yellow card. Free kick for Brum. Liam Ridgewell popped up on the right-wing from the free-kick and wins a corner from the sliding challenge of N’Zogbia.

Kapo takes from the right but this time Jerome can’t direct his header on target and United have a goal-kick.

Newcastle try again to search for the first home win since October, with Martins turns a clever ball inside Kelly in the penalty area. He aim for Taylor’s far post, and right-footed curler ball looks destined for the net but somehow the Blues stopper manages to dive in and palm the ball away.

On the edge of normal time Muamba trips N’Zogbia when the younf talented player tries to force his way into the penalty area. Free-kick in a good position.

Emre takes and the ball clatters into the wall. And for the second time a big penalty shout from the Turk and the home crowd only being waves away by Rob Styles. TV replay shows the ball struck in the arm of Jerome and out for a corner. But this is Premier League after all.

Emre waste no time to take the corner himself from the left-flank and it was destined to have Habib Beye dashes the ball in at the near post. The Senegale defender powering a header into the ground and the ball bounces up into the top roof of Taylor’s net for a dramatic Newcastle’s last minute winner. 2-1.

Jose Enrique replaces Oba Martins on stoppage time as Newcastle United play for time and guard the lead. In desperate dying seconds the Blues pressing for an equaliser but it’s all over for them and the game ends for United win at home again.

Good game, good result, but we are still have conceded the ball early in the first-half in need more attention from Big Sam. But, we are pleased with the display. Congratulations to James Milner for a deserved Man of The Match reward.

Coming up next, the postmortem!

TEAMS

Newcastle United:
Shay Given, Habib Beye, Charles N’Zogbia, Steven Taylor, David Rozehnal, Nicky Butt (Mark Viduka, 31″), Joey Barton, Geremi (Emre, 71″), James Milner, Alan Smith, Oba Martins (Jose Enrique, 92″)
Subs: Steve Harper, David Edgar

Birmingham City:
Maik Taylor, Stephen Kelly, Mathew Sadler, Rafael Schmitz, Liam Ridgwell (c), Sebastian Larsson, Cameron Jerome, Gary McSheffrey (Olivier Kapo, 62″), Mehdi Nafti, Daniel De Ridder (Mikael Forssell, 76″), Fabrice Muamba
Subs: Colin Doyle, Garry O’Connor, Stuart Parnaby

Referee: Rob Styles
Attendance: 49, 948

Rainy Gallowgate at the start of the first half causing a little problem for the players to get good passing movement over the wet surface. But the Lads start the game attacking the visitor’s end.

But once again Newcastle was conceded an early goal in eight minutes while Birmingham plays the ball long from their deep. David Rozehnal is tracking the run of Cameron Jerome but unable to cut out the pass and the Blues striker takes a touch before rounding Given and slotting into an empty net. 0-1.

This is the Toon Army job again to help United team make another chasing game, and they performed another superb backing.

On the other side, Butt tries to get Martins away with a chip into the Blues penalty area, this time Blues player Rafael Schmitz is succeed to head clear the ball before Martins would have been clean through.

Rob Styles waves the Newcastle protests away for a penalty claim in 16 minutes. N’Zogbia and Milner combine on the left. Milner made an ultimate crossing from deep to trouble Ridgewell, the ball skids up off the surface and Smith tries to take advantage.

Ridgewell trying to get the possession from Smithy which resulting United’s versatile player goes down under his challenge, it would’ve been harsh had the penalty been given.Milner wins the Magpies first corner immediately after the accident and takes the flag-kick himself.

His delivery was dangerous and beats everyone inside the penalty area. Rozehnal dives to head against the post but Rob Styles give the visitors a free-kick for an infringement by Roz.

The Geordies are keep searching for a leveller and James Milner is next to test the Blues defensive side. He is skipping another Ridgewell’s challenge efforts on the edge of the six-yards-box before gunning a low drive skid wide of Taylor’s far post.

His terrific effort immediately have been reponded with a roaring chant of “There’s only one James Milner” from the Gallowgate terraces. Unfortunately for Nicky Butt, he looks to be carrying an injury on half hour mark and being replaced by Mark Viduka.

Soon after the first United changes on first-half, if there’s someone who can bring the goal in for United, that is must be Oba Martins.

N’Zogbia’s shot in 37 minutes blocked by a crowd of Blues defenders, but the ball only spinning free for Martins. Matthew Sadler slides in to deny the Nigerian who has a clear strike on goal but he only trips Martins.

This time with no hesitation, Rob Styles points to the spot, and Martins steps up to fire into the net via the diving Taylor and a post for his seventh of the season. 1-1.

Newcastle now dominated the game and should be in front in the near closing minutes of the first half. James Milner who has terrific display today, gets on the end of another wicked N’Zogbia delivery but somehow Maik Taylor manages to push the winger’s close range volley up and over the bar.

N’Zogbia takes the flag-in from the right and the Blues can only half clear as far as Milner lurking 20 yards out, he takes a touch before arrowing a right-footed strike for Taylor’s top corner, again though the Northern Irish stopper denies the England Under-21 star and palms the stinging effort onto the crossbar and the Blues clear the loose ball.

Half-time ends 1-1 for both team in a fantastic United display. Coming up next the second-half match report.

TEAMS

Newcastle United:
Shay Given, Habib Beye, Charles N’Zogbia, Steven Taylor, David Rozehnal, Nicky Butt Mark Viduka (31″), Joey Barton, Geremi (c), James Milner, Alan Smith, Oba Martins
Subs: Steve Harper, Jose Enrique, David Edgar, Emre

Birmingham City:
Maik Taylor, Stephen Kelly, Mathew Sadler, Rafael Schmitz, Liam Ridgwell (c), Sebastian Larsson, Cameron Jerome, Gary McSheffrey, Mehdi Nafti, Daniel De Ridder, Fabrice Muamba
Subs: Colin Doyle, Garry O’Connor, Mikael Forssell, Stuart Parnaby, Olivier Kapo

Referee: Rob Styles
Attendance: tbc

Newcastle starts the second half with an early chance from a throw in by Geremi who found Barton lurking into the Arsenal defence with a help of a flick from Alan Smith.

Given has a work for the ball in 48 minutes when a neat one-two pass from Arsenal saw Rosicky pass the ball to Eboue who lash it into Given’s hand. United keep the possession and pushing forward again in search for an equaliser.

Almunia has done great job for the visitor side tonight. He is couple of times raise up high to pick the ball from Newcastle’s corner. For the visitor, I see that Clichy and Rosicky have couple times delivering dangerous cross to the heart of Newcastle defence.

Milner slips the ball inside for Smith and goes for the return, the winger’s is being tracked every inch of the way by Sagna and Toure, a quick double touch sees the winger escape their guard and send a low cross skidding across the face of goal, Almunia dives from his line to gather and the Gunners survive.

Sagna and Gallas both working hard to close down Martins, who has very little chances to control the ball, before Newcastle finally got the deserved equalizer through Steven Taylor in 60 minutes.

Barton closes down Rosicky’s attempted clearance on the left before spins free for Beye, the Senegal star takes a touch and digs the ball out with a cross aiming for Smith on the penalty spot. Smith’s headed flick is dummied by Martins for Steven Tylor who is lurking at the back post to shoot right-footed and beat Almunia into the Gunners goal via the upright.

St. James errupted celebrating the goal, and the lads being liften by the goal making heavy pressure to the visitor side. Geordies faithful realy enjoying the game today and keep bringing the noise.

Mike Dean’s book also have the French full-back Sagna after acting disgracefully tries to get Smith booked when there was clearly no contact. The Geordies faithful now pleased to give him a booed as a bonus.

Martins with high speed running and chasing the through ball in 65 minutes and found Almunia who leaving his nest to pick the ball out before Martins. And Taylor had to defend against the counter from Arsene Wenger’s side.

Habib Beye, who have good performance today going into Mike Dean’s book in 73 minutes for a simple tug on Rosicky although it looks like he was the one who is being fauled by the Czech Republic midfielder.

Meanwhile, Mark Viduka is getting the warm up for Newcastle and coming in the field to replace Geremi in 76min with Alan Smith dropping back into midfield and taking over the captaincy.

In the closing minutes, Steven Taylor looks like having his second for tonight with Milner crosses deep and Rozehnal heads the ball down for Taylor inside the six-yard area, but somehow Arsenal’s defender luckily deflected the ball up and over the bar.

Newcastle United players have answering the Geordies calling with tonight’s performance. Everyone is doing all their best and performing a “willing to die” action which is being hugely respected by 50, 305 St. James’ crowd.

With this kind of performance, we will get more better result this weekend when Birmingham come to visit and taste the St. James’s Park new atmosphere this season.

Newcastle United:
Shay Given, Habib Beye, Charles N’Zogbia, Steven Taylor, David Rozehnal, Nicky Butt, Joey Barton, Geremi (c) (Mark Viduka 76″), James Milner, Oba Martins, Alan Smith
Subs: Steve Harper, Jose Enrique, David Edgar, Emre

Arsenal:
Manuel Almunia, Bacary Sagna, Kolo Toure, Tomas Rosicky, Lassana Diarra, Eduardo Da Silva (Nicklas Bendtner 68″), William Gallas (c), Gilberto Silva, Gael Clichy, Emmanuel Adebayor, Emmanuel Eboue
Subs: Jens Lehmann, Denilson, Alexandre Song, Theo Walcott

Referee: Mike Dean
Attendance: 50, 305