Roeder defends Keystone Cops

Simon Turnbull analyses inferiority complex threatening Keegan's title dream

Even the veterans of the Toon Army could be excused for failing to conjure visions of the last Newcastle goal that beat Manchester United in a league match as they head for the battle of St James' Park this afternoon. It was so long ago now that even the man who scored it cued the wrong mental picture.

"Peter Beardsley crossed and I headed past Chris Turner," Glenn Roeder said, dipping deep into his memory bank. At least he got the keeper right. In fact it was a Paul Gascoigne free-kick that opened up the opposition defence, and a stabbing right-foot shot that beat Turner.

That the match-winning hero himself should be off the mark is understandable. Almost nine years have passed since that 1-0 home win by Newcastle on Boxing Day 1987. Alex Ferguson was only one year and one month into his managerial reign at Old Trafford; next month marks his 10th anniversary.

"It's a long time," Roeder acknowledged. Yet the man with an historical place in the scheme of things between Ferguson's champions and Kevin Keegan's great pretenders balks at the assertion that Newcastle will face a psychological barrier, as well as a red-shirted one this afternoon.

"Negative thoughts like that stop people progressing," the former England B defender said. "If we all thought that way we would still be living in mud huts. I can't believe that Manchester United have an Indian sign over Newcastle." Many among the ranks of the Toon Army would confess otherwise.

Newcastle did beat Manchester United in the third round of the Coca-Cola Cup two years ago but Ferguson's selection of a virtual reserve team rendered that 2-0 victory hollow, all the more so when Old Trafford gloried in Andrei Kanchelskis at his best three days later as the first-teamers put the north-east upstarts in their Premiership place. Then, for Newcastle fans, came the torture of last season.

Keegan's side froze at Old Trafford two days after Christmas and were fortunate to escape with a 2-0 beating. They threw everything at Manchester United in the return match in March but still lost to an Eric Cantona goal. Finally, after Keegan had been pushed to breaking point by the wily Ferguson's mind games, they watched as Manchester United snatched the great prize away from them.

As if those mental scars were not bad enough, Newcastle's Keystone Cop defending against Ferencvaros in Buadpest on Tuesday night re-opened the wounds Ferguson's double-winners had inflicted in their 4-0 Charity Shield slaughter at Wembley in August. Roeder, however, maintained: "What has happened in the past does not matter. This is a new game and I'm sure Newcastle will go out to play their way: to attack, attack and then attack again. I think Kevin Keegan is trying to prove a point - that the championship can be won with style and grace. It hasn't often been done."

It could certainly be won by the irresistible force of Alan Shearer and Les Ferdinand, who have 16 goals between them this season. But it would most certainly be lost by the wholly moveable object that was Newcastle's defence in Budapest on Tuesday and in the 4-3 thriller against Aston Villa at St James' Park two weeks ago.

Roeder, working as Glenn Hoddle's scout in the new England regime following his management spell at Watford, spent five years at the heart of the Newcastle defence in the Eighties. He played alongside Keegan in the team promoted to the First Division in 1984 and succeeded him as club captain. He does not believe his old colleague needs a complete defensive overhaul.

"It is not all doom and gloom," Roeder insisted. "Newcastle only conceded two goals more than Manchester United last season. Knocking Newcastle's defence has just become flavour of the last six months. Of course everything is not hunky dory. I saw them against Sheffield Wednesday and they were good individuals, but that's what they were - individuals. They've just got to work together as a unit. It only needs a few minor adjustments."

Maybe it needs the help of a defensive coach too. The man who shored up Newcastle's defence in Kevin Keegan's playing days, and who silenced the Red Devils nine years ago, would certainly fit the bill.