Keegan forced into change

Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan will be forced to make changes for Sunday’s Barclays Premier League trip to Everton.

Striker Mark Viduka could be out for up to six months as he waits to discover if his Achilles problem requires surgery, while midfielder Joey Barton is unavailable.

The likes of Alan Smith, Damien Duff and Charles N’Zogbia will hope to benefit from their absence, although Emre has been allowed to join up with the Turkey squad early ahead of their Euro 2008 finals campaign and James Milner is not sufficiently recovered from the foot injury which has sidelined him for two months.

Keegan decided several weeks ago not to risk Shay Given again this season after groin surgery, while Stephen Carr has been told he can leave the club and Peter Ramage has decided not to stay.

Provisional squad: Harper, Forster, Beye, Enrique, Taylor, Faye, Edgar, Cacapa, Diatta, Butt, N’Zogbia, Duff, Geremi, Owen, Smith, Martins, Carroll.