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Kevin Keegan
Lively Toon: Kevin Keegan shows typical enthusiasm as Newcastle romp to a 4-1 victory over Spurs
Kevin Keegan Jonathan Woodgate and Mark Viduka

Ruthless Ramos will make changes, says Woodgate

James Olley, Sports Correspondent
31 Mar 2008


Tottenham 1
Newcastle 4


Jonathan Woodgate today warned no-one is safe from the axe after Tottenham's horror show against Newcastle.

Spurs contrived to throw away a one goal lead at White Hart Lane yesterday with a mixture of comical defending and ill-discipline as the Magpies romped to a 4-1 triumph - only their second win under returning boss Kevin Keegan.

And centre-back Woodgate claims the entire Spurs squad are fighting to be a part of manager Juande Ramos's summer revolution as the Carling Cup winners' season drifts aimlessly towards a mid-table finish.

"We are all playing for our places in the team, no matter how long you are under contract for, where you've been before or how long you have been at the club for," he said.

"That manager (Ramos) will make changes, no problem. He's you friend and your manager but he will make changes to suit the club.

"No-one is ever safe in football - apart from Cristiano Ronaldo.

"We took the lead and maybe we thought the game was over. But Newcastle are fighting for their lives and fully deserved the win."

Woodgate rightly labelled the defeat as the worst performance under their Spanish manager as the Magpies' striking trio of Obafemi Martins, Michael Owen and Mark Viduka ran riot at White Hart Lane.

"It wasn't good enough at all," he said. We have to look at ourselves - just because we can't get relegated and we can't really go any further forward, it doesn't mean we can put in performances like that. We have still got to perform otherwise the manager will make changes."

Ramos experimented by including Darren Bent in a three-pronged attack with Dimitar Berbatov, who could not have looked more disinterested, playing off the former Charlton striker and captain Robbie Keane.

The decision to mirror the visitors' 4-3-1-2 formation left Spurs exposed at the back and in wide areas as Matthew Dawson and Jamie O'Hara endured a torrid afternoon, failing to contain the excellent Martins in particular.

"We massively contributed to our own downfall," said Woodgate. "We didn't defend well at all, not just the back four but the team in general. You rely a lot on your midfielders as well if they play three up front with one in the hole. You defend as a team and when you are not doing that, you are going to get beaten."

Newcastle enjoyed the better of the opening period and were unlucky to fall behind when Bent headed home Steed Malbranque's cross on 26 minutes.

Nicky Butt hauled the visitors deservedly level on the stroke of half-time before a senseless free-kick conceded by Dawson for a foul on Martins in the 52nd minute gave Geremi the chance to fire in from 20 yards. Martins then stripped O'Hara for pace and supplied a ball into the feet of Viduka, whose deft flick found Owen to increase Newcastle's lead.

When Martins completed the rout seven minutes from time, it cued a mass exodus of the 36,067 fans.

Woodgate added: "I don't blame them for leaving early - I wouldn't have stayed and watched that, would you?"

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