Woodgate injury woe for Newcastle

Newcastle United 2 Chelsea 1

The 24-year-old England defender limped off with a thigh muscle injury 16 minutes from the end of yesterday’s rousing victory over the Blues at St James’ Park which propelled the Magpies firmly back into the race for a top-four finish.

Woodgate is likely to be fit for England’s Euro 2004 campaign in Portugal , but, like Craig Bellamy, Kieron Dyer, Jermaine Jenas and Lee Bowyer, will miss vital Barclaycard Premiership and UEFA Cup games.

With Andy O’Brien facing a two-match ban following his second sending-off of the campaign at Aston Villa last Sunday, Robson could find himself short in central defence, and he knows just how much of a loss his in-form defender will be.

“We’ve had some rotten luck,” he admitted. “It’s been costly. It’s taken the edge off the result. It’s not taken the edge off the performance, but it’ll take the edge off our position. Other teams will be laughing a bit now. It’s sad.”

Newcastle’s victory was secured with a stunning Alan Shearer strike, the 33-year-old turning away from Marcel Desailly to beat Marco Ambrosio from 35 yards with an outrageous dipping shot.

Joe Cole had fired the visitors into a fifth-minute lead, but Ameobi’s 43rd-minute equaliser oozed class and was only upstaged by Shearer’s best.

Shay Given produced the save of the match to deny Eidur Gudjohnsen an equaliser and a post came to his rescue in injury-time after John Terry managed to reach Geremi’s deep cross.

Ranieri, who has spent all season telling people his side was not ready to win the title, bemoaned their luck but remained upbeat.

“I made my congratulations (to Arsenal) four games ago,” he said. “After the Liverpool match, they were the champions.

“It was a strange match. In the first half, we scored very early and we had the chance to score again a minimum of three times with good counter-attacks, but we lost the final pass.

“At the end of the first half, Ameobi scored and then at the beginning of the second half, it was a great goal by Shearer, and you can’t do anything about that goal. Now there are in these next few days good things to do, but it’s important also to change the luck because without luck, you can’t do anything.”

Chelsea left the North-East with another black cloud on the horizon after substitute Robert Huth appeared to stamp on Shearer late in the game, an incident which seems certain to be investigated by the FA.

NEWCASTLE: Given, Hughes, O’Brien, Woodgate (Bramble 78), Bernard, Ambrose, Speed, Viana, Robert, Ameobi (Bridges 85), Shearer.

CHELSEA: Ambrosio, Melchiot, Desailly (Huth 71), Terry, Bridge, Geremi, Makelele, Lampard, Cole, Gudjohnsen, Crespo (Hasselbaink 71).

Referee: R Styles (Hampshire).