Given's place under threat

Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan has warned Shay Given that the impressive form of Steve Harper could cost him a longer spell on the sidelines. Keegan has praised Harper for the way he has taken his opportunity in the Newcastle goal.

He said: "Steve has not given me anything to think about that I have not thought about before. I have always said we have got two great keepers here.

"There's no doubt about it, Shay's absolutely top notch, and Stevie is right there with him, and he's proved it in these games.

"We have protected him well, but whenever he has had to do anything, he's done it well.

"That's not a surprise - he has done it before. It's well known around the leagues that, in the Premier, we have probably got the two best keepers.

"Some have probably got a number one and a number two - we have always had two that are very close.

"Shay has had the nod for a long time, but through circumstances, Stevie has got the opportunity.

"He's been very loyal. He cares, don't get me wrong, he doesn't like not being in the team.

"But he knows how to handle not being in the team - and he knows how to handle being in it."