Magpies handed triple boost :- Newcastle strike trio fit again
Posted by sportsmad28 on 02/16/2009
Newcastle United have been given a triple boost ahead of their all-important relegation run-in.
Strikers Obafemi Martins, Mark Viduka and Alan Smith could all return to action for the visit of in-form Everton on Sunday.
With fellow striker Michael Owen sidelined for another three-and-a-half weeks the return to fitness of the trio could not have been better timed.
The Magpies faithful will be hoping that the strikers can fire them away from the drop zone with the Toon just four points off the relegation places.
Martins has been out since mid-December with a hernia problem while Viduka and Smith have been plagued by injury all season.
The Australian has been restricted to just five appearances this term due to an Achilles injury but managed to make his comeback as a substitute in the 3-2 win over West Brom, while Smith has failied to make a single appearance because of persistent foot and ankle problems.
Positive
Despite their lack of match action Chris Hughton, who is in charge of first team affairs alongside Colin Calderwood while Joe Kinnear recovers from heart surgery, believes the players will still have a positive effect on the rest of the squad.
“Oba Martins, Alan Smith and Mark Viduka will all be fit to make an impact in the run-in and that’s a good boost for us,” he told the club’s official website.
“It’s very important to have them back in the frame. It’s immensely beneficial to us, they could be very important for us in the coming weeks.
“The group of lads we’ve got, they’ll look around them and see senior, quality and experienced players with them.
“Even if they are not quite up to full fitness, the lift they give the rest of the lads is obvious.
“Alan Smith has played in two friendlies and will play in the next one, while Oba will have had some training under his belt by the time of the next match.”
Further good news for Magpies fans is that defender Claudio Cacapa is also making progress in training after a knee injury has kept him out since early December.
