Roeder looks to harness frustration

The Newcastle manager, Glenn Roeder, is urging his players to take their anger at Sunday's collapse against Bolton into tonight's testing Uefa Cup tie against Fenerbahce.

Last weekend's capitulation left Roeder's team facing a wave of criticism. However, the manager said he wants the players to use that emotion as motivation.

"Every day on the training ground I see a lot of character," he said. "We have good, strong characters who do not like to lose and get extremely disappointed when they lose. At this moment, we have a squad of players who are very angry. The only way they can turn that anger into some sort of pleasure would be to get the victory."

Like Newcastle, Fenerbahce squandered what should have been a match-winning lead at the weekend. After leading 2-0 at Ankaraspor, they conceded twice in the final 10 minutes.

Among the other Uefa Cup participants, Robbie Savage celebrated his 32nd birthday with a pat on the back from the Blackburn manager, Mark Hughes.

The Welsh midfielder is expected to play a key role tonight against Wisla Krakow, and Hughes said, "Robbie has been one of our more consistent performers of this year. The difference this season is he is free from injury."

Kleberson, meanwhile, has criticised his former manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, and promised to put in a star performance for Besiktas when they face Tottenham tonight.

The Brazilian midfielder is still angry over his stay at Old Trafford when he made 28 appearances. Following his move to Besiktas, Kleberson says he has been given a new lease of life by the former Fulham manager Jean Tigana.

"To play against an English team is like a special incentive for me," he said. "I suffered a bad experience at Manchester United and these kind of matches can help me show my quality. I left United a frustrated player, but am more calm playing in Turkey and with more freedom by the coach.

"Ferguson always wanted more from me, but I am Kleberson and not Pele. I have more direct contact with Tigana than I did with Ferguson."

The Rangers manager, Paul Le Guen, has demanded an improvement from his players for their game at Livorno after the defeat by Inverness last weekend.

While Le Guen understands the importance of victory in the opening group stage tie in Italy, he admits the priority is for his side to show that Saturday's defeat was a one-off.

Le Guen said: "My main preoccupation is to be better than we were on Saturday. We cannot accept another performance like Saturday."

"Against Italian teams, though, it is always difficult. Livorno are a very good side. We must aim to get a clean sheet and defend well but also to counter-attack."