Blackburn pay high price for victory

Newcastle 0 Blackburn 1

The Scottish international was stretchered off 28 minutes into his side's 1-0 win at St James' Park, after a seemingly innocuous challenge with Gary Speed.

However, it quickly became clear that Ferguson has suffered a break, and he was taken to hospital in Newcastle, where the diagnosis was confirmed.

He was due back at Blackburn last night and is expected to undergo surgery to wire the kneecap during the next 24 hours.

"Barry Ferguson has broken his kneecap," confirmed Rovers boss Graeme Souness.

"If you've watched us over the last few weeks, he's been our outstanding player and it's a real blow to lose him. He'll be out for the rest of the season. That's a real blow to us.

"He's in hospital, we're going to go and pick him up on the way back and he'll have it all wired up either tonight or tomorrow. That's a blow to us given that we don't carry a great big squad.

"It was an innocuous challenge I think he's the one who's making the challenge. That just shows you, with the pace of our game, if you get it wrong at all, you're risking everything."

Ferguson's injury marred what was a hugely successful afternoon on Tyneside for Rovers, who claimed all three points against a disappointing Newcastle courtesy of teenager Paul Gallagher's 72nd-minute strike.

The 19-year-old appeared to handle the ball as he challenged Aaron Hughes to reach Brett Emerton's cross, but Souness was happy enough to accept a stroke of luck as referee Mark Halsey saw no offence.

"The goal was fortunate, but we've scored one other fortunate goal this year, which was against Tottenham which won us the game," he said.

"Other than that, I can't think of any other time this year when Lady Luck has been with us.

"We've not had any penalties this year and I think the law of averages would tell you you'd expect a penalty if you've gone through half a season, and we haven't. But I think today, our defensive display has been the rock that got us the points.

"The goal we got was fortunate, but hopefully we'll get a few more of them, hopefully that's the start of us getting a bit more of that type of luck that makes a difference in a game."

United boss Bobby Robson was unhappy with the goal, but admitted that his side had not done enough to win the game despite having a Michael Chopra strike ruled out for offside.

"It's gone," he said. "I can't complain what's the point? I can't change it. He's knocked it in with his hand what can I do about it? You get them sometimes, sometimes you don't. It's been one of those days.

"He (the linesman) was keen with the flag for the offside, but if he'd seen it, I suppose he would have given it. It's just unfortunate. It's a clear handball he's knocked it in with his hands but we still didn't score, and if you don't score, you're not going to win a match."

Robson was again without England midfielder Kieron Dyer, who also missed the St. Stephen's Day trip to Leicester with a stomach complaint, and the manager revealed that he will undergo hospital tests over two days this week in a bid to get to the root of the problem.

"Kieron is going to hospital tomorrow for some tests," he said. "Hopefully he won't be in too long, he's just going in to be looked at, investigated and hopefully he'll be in there less than two days and, hopefully, we'll get him training.

"I think it's routine. I don't really want to say too much about it. It's a stomach ailment which we are aware of and we're trying to deal with it. I can't believe that he's missed two matches but he has with what he's got, but that's what he's got and we can't get it right."

NEWCASTLE: Given, Hughes, Bramble, O'Brien, Bernard, Solano (Ambrose 71), Jenas, Speed (Viana 81), Robert, Shearer, Chopra (LuaLua 71).

BLACKBURN: Friedel, Neill, Babbel, Todd, Gresko, Emerton, Ferguson (Flitcroft 28), Tugay, Mahon, Gallagher (Jansen 90), Cole (Yorke 87).

Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire).