Gullit Facing Toughest Challenge at Arsenal
October 4, 1998 - 0:0
LONDON Ruud Gullit faces his toughest challenge since taking over at Newcastle when his resurgent side take on English Premiership champions Arsenal at Highbury on Sunday. Newcastle have shot up the league since the Dutchman took over from Kenny Dalglish last month and are determined to avenge their 3-1 defeat in the corresponding fixture last season. Newcastle captain Alan Shearer, named Premiership player of the month for September last week, said the players are relishing the challenge of facing last season's double winners.
It is a big test for us and a good opportunity to see how far we have come, said the England striker. They are the club that have achieved the most in the last 12 months and we hope to emulate them but there's a hell of a lot of work to do for the club. Gullit will be worried by the lack of ruthlessness in front of goal which was apparent over the two legs in their away goals defeat against the Yugoslavs of Partizan Belgrade in the European Cup Winners' Cup on Thursday night.
Chances galore were squandered by the likes of Temuri Ketsbaia, Gary Speed and David Batty. We went out in a harsh way but I have taken some positive things out of it, said Shearer. Irish winger Keith Gillespie is fit but was left on the bench on Thursday night in Yugoslavia and has clearly not convinced Gullit of his talents. Rob Lee, who has a thigh strain, is likely to miss today's clash but Gullit can at least call on Batty, who could make his first Premiership start of the season after returning from injury and suspension.
Ironically, the situation it is an exact repeat of last season when the blues returned from their victory at Slovan Bratislava early on Friday, played at Liverpool on the Sunday and were promptly demolished 4-2. But with France's World Cup defenders Frank Leboeuf and Marcel Desailly starting to give the side the solid backbone which boss Gianluca Vialli has been trying to make his priority, the Londoners will be confident of avoiding a repeat scoreline.
Chelsea captain Dennis Wise is back in contention for a place in the blues' starting line-up for Sunday's trip. Wise has missed Chelsea's last two games against Middlesbrough and Helsingborgs due to a knee injury but is nearing full fitness and could be ready in time for the match at Anfield. Vialli has no other injury worries but seems likely to restore Pierluigi Casiraghi and Gianfranco Zola to the side at the expense of the European strike partnership of himself and Tore Andre Flo. The Chelsea rearguard know that they will have to be at their most vigilant with English football's new superstar Michael Owen lining up alongside the rehabilitated Robbie Fowler. Chelsea wing back Graeme le Saux, Owen's England teammate, said: One of our priorities will certainly be to keep Michael under wraps.
He's so quick out off the blocks and that's what gives him an advantage over defenders. Le Saux is equally aware of the dangers posed by Fowler who has showed he has lost none of his sharpness during his lengthy lay-off. There is quality between them and they show a great understanding, he said. Liverpool are likely to rest steve McManaman, who has been struggling with an achilles problem and missed the 5-0 UEFA Cup win over Kosice on Tuesday. (AFP)
It is a big test for us and a good opportunity to see how far we have come, said the England striker. They are the club that have achieved the most in the last 12 months and we hope to emulate them but there's a hell of a lot of work to do for the club. Gullit will be worried by the lack of ruthlessness in front of goal which was apparent over the two legs in their away goals defeat against the Yugoslavs of Partizan Belgrade in the European Cup Winners' Cup on Thursday night.
Chances galore were squandered by the likes of Temuri Ketsbaia, Gary Speed and David Batty. We went out in a harsh way but I have taken some positive things out of it, said Shearer. Irish winger Keith Gillespie is fit but was left on the bench on Thursday night in Yugoslavia and has clearly not convinced Gullit of his talents. Rob Lee, who has a thigh strain, is likely to miss today's clash but Gullit can at least call on Batty, who could make his first Premiership start of the season after returning from injury and suspension.
Ironically, the situation it is an exact repeat of last season when the blues returned from their victory at Slovan Bratislava early on Friday, played at Liverpool on the Sunday and were promptly demolished 4-2. But with France's World Cup defenders Frank Leboeuf and Marcel Desailly starting to give the side the solid backbone which boss Gianluca Vialli has been trying to make his priority, the Londoners will be confident of avoiding a repeat scoreline.
Chelsea captain Dennis Wise is back in contention for a place in the blues' starting line-up for Sunday's trip. Wise has missed Chelsea's last two games against Middlesbrough and Helsingborgs due to a knee injury but is nearing full fitness and could be ready in time for the match at Anfield. Vialli has no other injury worries but seems likely to restore Pierluigi Casiraghi and Gianfranco Zola to the side at the expense of the European strike partnership of himself and Tore Andre Flo. The Chelsea rearguard know that they will have to be at their most vigilant with English football's new superstar Michael Owen lining up alongside the rehabilitated Robbie Fowler. Chelsea wing back Graeme le Saux, Owen's England teammate, said: One of our priorities will certainly be to keep Michael under wraps.
He's so quick out off the blocks and that's what gives him an advantage over defenders. Le Saux is equally aware of the dangers posed by Fowler who has showed he has lost none of his sharpness during his lengthy lay-off. There is quality between them and they show a great understanding, he said. Liverpool are likely to rest steve McManaman, who has been struggling with an achilles problem and missed the 5-0 UEFA Cup win over Kosice on Tuesday. (AFP)