Newcastle United v Manchester United
The FA Cup, Semi-Final
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
13 April 2005, 2pm



Jermaine Jenas has candidly admitted Newcastle's Premiership campaign has been disappointing and that they must win silverware to salvage something from their season.

The Magpies face a momentous week, with tomorrow's UEFA Cup quarter-final away to Sporting Lisbon followed by The FA Cup Semi-Final clash with Manchester United at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium this Sunday.

And England midfielder Jenas, 22, acknowledges that his side have spectacularly under-achieved this term.

He said: "It's been very disappointing in terms of the league this season - we'll be delighted if we can finish in the top half."

Newcastle's hopes of beating holders Manchester United suffered a double setback when midfielders Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer were sent off for fighting each other in the 3-0 Premiership home defeat by Aston Villa ten days ago.

Both players are banned for the Semi-Final and Jenas knows much will be expected of him in their absence.

But he insists the incident could galvanise the whole squad. "We'll be missing Kieron and Lee again in the Semi-Final, but we've still got a good squad of players here,'' said Jenas. "What happened the other week could make us stronger as a group.''

Dyer and Bowyer are eligible for the Sporting game, and the former has been given the all-clear following a scan on a hamstring injury.

But Newcastle have other worries with goalkeeper Shay Given struggling to shake off the hip injury which forced him to miss Sunday's defeat at Tottenham.

Titus Bramble, who has made a rapid recovery from the hernia operation that has kept him out for a month, could make a return return to take Boumsong's place.

Defender Aaron Hughes is suspended for the Sporting encounter, and striker Patrick Kluivert is still carrying a knee injury but has travelled.

Manager Graeme Souness insisted that skipper Alan Shearer, who suffered a "dead leg'' against Spurs, would be fit to resume battle with the Portuguese giants after scoring the goal that has given Newcastle the slenderest advantage from the first leg.