Given in no mood to rest

Newcastle keeper Shay Given is keeping his fingers crossed that Bobby Robson does not hand him a well-earned rest for the final game of the Premiership season.

The 27-year-old Irishman has played every single minute of the club’s league campaign to date and made his 50th appearance of the season in the 1-0 win over Birmingham last weekend.

Indeed, he has not missed a Premiership match since January 30, 2001, a sequence of 90 consecutive games.

However, having helped the Magpies to clinch third place and their Champions League spot on Saturday, Given fears Robson may be tempted to give impatient understudy Steve Harper a rare opportunity at West Brom on Sunday.

And that would rob the former Blackburn player of a chance to pip Rovers’ Brad Friedel to the honour of keeping the most clean sheets this season, with the pair going into the weekend with 14 apiece.

“They tell me I played my 50th game of the season against Birmingham City, and it’s a good, long haul,” he admitted.

“It’s been a long, hard season and I would like to see it through to the final match, although obviously it’s not my decision.

“I’m delighted that I’ve managed to steer clear of injuries and suspensions this season, and that takes a bit of luck.

“I feel it’s a great achievement for any player to go through a full season and turn out in every league game.”

Robson resisted the temptation to rest his big names in the final game at Southampton last season to allow them a chance to savour their achievement of reaching the Champions League.

However, he has little choice but to go with some of his youngsters at The Hawthorns with Alan Shearer, Gary Speed and Andy O’Brien injured, and Craig Bellamy suspended.

Shola Ameobi and Lomana LuaLua seem likely to get the nod in attack, while youngsters Michael Chpra and new signing Darren Ambrose could win places on the bench.

With Shearer and Speed both sidelined, midfielder Kieron Dyer took the captain’s armband against Birmingham, and could retain it for the final game of a long, but fruitful season.

Robson admits the 24-year-old revels in the responsibility of leading the side, and is therefore a good choice.

“We’re just giving him a trial,” he said. “He responds to it, I’ll tell you that. He likes it.

“It makes him a bit more responsive on his defensive duties, I think, knowing that he’s leading the side. In that sense, it’s quite a good choice.”