Home Comforts

We play another home game tonight and it's one we don't dare lose.

Not only will it stop the slump in confidence but it should also improve our chances in the league for a number of reasons. Not to mention guarantee European football on Tyneside for the calender year of 2013.

If selected, both Steven Taylor and Shola Ameobi would make their 200th start for NUFC.

Alan Pardew: 'I think it's harder for us, I genuinely do.

'The four Champions League teams have the finance to attack that with two squads, really, whereas we are attacking a competition that has many more games, a heavier schedule and a more difficult night, Thursday night, with a much-reduced squad, so of course it's much more difficult for us.

(From NUFC.co.uk) Pedro Martins, Maritimo manager: 'In the first five or six games they have used 23 or 24 players, so he (Pardew) makes a mixture of the players. I think he brings these players because, at this moment, it is the best team he has.'

Players missing include Yohan Cabaye, Ryan Taylor, Adam Campbell, Dan Gosling, Haris Vuckic and Gabriel Obertan, who are all injured. Shola is a doubt with a groin strain.

Coloccini and Jonas return, Tiote is suspended.

Papiss Cisse - Surely he will be chomping at the bit to play well.

They should be near to full strength although they have problems up front

Caused us problems in the game at their place.

Only one fixture ever between us and that was the stalemate earlier in the campaign.

3-0 to NUFC. Cisse with 2, Steven Taylor the other.

Southampton away on Sunday

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