But still, the Magpies would love to snap a four-game winless streak this weekend at home as they host Birmingham, who is looking to move further away from the relegation zone as well ; bookmakers promotions such as Ladbrokes’ allow to place bet on nice odds about that.

Newcastle has a pair of draws and two losses since a 4-1 win at home over Wolves on April 2nd, and they were spanked 3-0 at Liverpool, where they came face to face with striker Andy Carroll, who they sold to Liverpool for a club-record for $57.7 million at the transfer deadline.

They could have used Carroll to boost their faith among those who bet on sports right now, because they’re struggling to find the back of the net, scoring a single goal during this four-game winless skid. Now that Carroll is on Merseyside, Newcastle’s leading scoring is captain Kevin Nolan, who has 12 goals in 30 games from midfield, followed by forward Shola Ameobi, who has eight goals in 20 games, and then Leon Best, who has six goals in 10 games, but he’s gone for the rest of the year with an ankle/foot injury. Then you have another midfielder, Joey Barton, with five goals and a team-leading eight assists in 30 games, and you have what should be Newcastle’s main goal of the offseason.

The Magpies need to go out and find a goal-scorer to replace Carroll (who had 11 goals in 18 games), because you’re not going to be very successful when your main goal threats are your midfielders.

Nolan and Barton are great at supporting strikers from midfield, but they’re still not of the quality of a Frank Lampard, for example. This week’s forward pairing should continue to be Ameobi and Peter Lovenkrandis, which is fine against the likes of Birmingham, and Newcastle has a home game against West Brom to finish the season, so they should escape the season unscathed, but they need to find a striker in the offseason.

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In a bid to have at least some extra options up front and following the injury to Shola Ameobi, those studying Sportsbook online note that Shefki Kuqi was brought in on loan.

Despite this, Kevin Nolan is aware that everybody in the team needs to be chipping in with goals for the remainder of the season. More accurately, they should continue to find the back of the net regularly.

As yet, Carroll has not been missed, with the Magpies scoring six goals in their last three games. The most recent two resulting in a fantastic 2-0 victory at Birmingham City.

Speaking after the win at St Andrews, Nolan said: “We are all putting pressure on ourselves because we know the goals have to come from all around the pitch, but that is generally happening. It’s about time the centre-halves start popping in with a few too.”

“It’s a team game, we know that and we are a great team together. We win, lose and draw together, we’ve all enjoyed the last few days and want to feel it a lot more this season.”

The former Bolton man is certainly a man on a mission and seems focused, which is exactly what the Newcastle fans want to see. If there was 11 Kevin Nolan’s turning out every week, Alan Pardew would be a very happy manager.

Not that he isn’t happy at the moment. Newcastle sit in a very respectable 9th position in the Premier League, a comfortable eight points above the relegation zone and just four points behind Liverpool in 6th.

If more players start chipping in with goals like Nolan has requested, it could very well be a relaxing and enjoyable end to the season. Then, there might be a bit of money to spend in the summer.

For now, it is good times at St James’ Park.

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I hope everyone will have the same high spirited passion as what Harper has said, “If anybody is under-estimating what relegation would do for this club, he shouldn’t be here. We know we are in a battle.”

To be honest, I also have a little bit of fear to see that most of our regular first team squad this year has the experience of relegation and it will have some bad effects to their mentality regarding to the situation we’re in these days.

Mark Viduka, Alan Smith and James Milner all have been went down once with Leeds, while Damien Duff was relegated with Blackburn. When being out for loan, Nicky Butt suffered the drop with Birmingham. Our new signing Habib Beye was also experienced the dropped with Strasbourg.

So now, they’re supposed to do all their best to avoid the same experience to happened with Newcastle United. Sad to admit that some of them were actually the weakness part of United squad through a season long.

“We have five tough away games, and this one is the biggest game in the club’s recent history,” Harper continued, “It’s the biggest game we’ve had for a long, long time. There’s always pressure at this place and everybody knows it’s a pressure cooker – more than at any other club. Every game is a big game at this club, but the Birmingham match is absolutely massive.”

Howay the Lads!!! Up the Toon!!!

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For God’s sake, we need something good at St. Andrews and we really mean it this time. No more sloppy defending, no more lazy midfield action and please do start to scoring EMO, or you have forgotten how to kick the ball into the net? Andy Carrol surely knows how to do it.

Without James Milner as he is still suffering the foot injury from the Anfield game, Shay Given still out too with his best friend names groin, Emre still dating with the calf and Stephen ‘When we see him leave?’ Carr keep playing with hamstring, the King must be having a very bad headache at the moment.

On the other side, Birmingham defender Martin Taylor will not be able to play as he will served the third of a three-match ban for his sending off against Arsenal, while their striker Cameron Jerome, may be able to play after swallowed some pain killer pills.

But, Lamine Diatta (if he actually played) must aware of Sebastian Larsson who has scores two goals in their last two matches.

TOON STATS at ST.ANDREW’S – PREMIERSHIP YEARS:
2006/07: 2-2 Taylor, Dyer (FA Cup)
2005/06: 0-0
2004/05: 2-2 Jenas, Butt
2003/04: 1-1 Speed
2002/03: 2-0 Solano, Ameobi
2000/01: 1-2 Dyer (League Cup)
1999/00: 0-2 (League Cup)

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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

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