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| Manchester City vs. Newcastle United |
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Full Time
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H/T: 0:0 | F/T: 0:0
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CITT 1-1 Newcastle Uited
Striking stalwarts Alan Shearer and Robbie Fowler both found the net at Eastlands on yet another night of frustration for under-achieving Newcastle
Now rid of bad boy Craig Bellamy, Magpies boss Graeme Souness is hoping for a sustained end-of-season burst to carry the Tynesiders into a UEFA Cup spot next season.
Instead, he just got another inconsistent performance as his side faltered badly after Shearer had driven them into a ninth-minute lead with his 250th Premiership goal and, although Fowler's equaliser came from the penalty spot, it was richly deserved and kept Newcastle in the bottom half of the table.
Just three days after selling the man he bought to lead City into a new glorious era, how ironic Kevin Keegan should be on the wrong end of a goal from the player who will forever be synonymous with his time at Newcastle.
Shearer's time on Tyneside will be remembered with significantly more fondness than Nicolas Anelka's 30 months at Eastlands.
Such was the seemingly indifferent manner with which the French striker treated his stint with the Blues that he probably did not even know his old club were in action for the first time since his departure to Fenerbahce.
If he did, and he could be bothered watching, Anelka might have learned a little lesson in longevity and loyalty.
When he calls time on his career in May, Shearer will not have the medal collection a player of his unquestioned ability should be able to boast.
What he will have instead is a mindful of memories about the effort he put in trying to restore his hometown club to past glories.
His latest goal on a wet and cold night in Manchester may not rank that highly but for those privileged to witness it, it was a little gem, the kind he will be most famous for.
Ben Thatcher was caught glaringly out of position when Bramble launched a huge cross-field pass from well inside his own half. Ever alive to an opportunity, Shearer had spotted his chance, drifted behind the Welshman and then, after controlling with the minimum of fuss, smashed his shot into the roof of David James' net before the England keeper could move.
It was a goal Newcastle's first-half dominance deserved as City struggled to find their rhythm, although they were forced to survive a near calamitous mis-kick from Shay Given.
The Irish international had been a virtual spectator until he had to try and deal with Celestine Babayaro's routine back-pass. Caught out by a cruel bobble just before impact, Given sliced his clearance so badly for one awful moment it looked to be heading in before the keeper scampered back to recover.
City did not have to wait long for an unlikely equaliser though, four minutes into the second half to be precise.
But while the goal itself was a shock given the paucity of the hosts' previous attacking invention, its creator and scorer were entirely predictable.
Darting on to Fowler's deft flick, Shaun Wright-Phillips had definitely stolen a march on Titus Bramble as he entered the area.
Television replays were inconclusive about the extent of contact as the City man crashed to the floor. But the Newcastle man did not protest, and neither did Fowler as he strolled confidently forward and sent Given the wrong way, leaving him just six behind Shearer for the season.
From being virtual bystanders in a game destined to go against them, the Blues were suddenly transformed with Fowler - the man Keegan must now rely on - galvanised most of all.
The former Liverpool may have plenty of critics but the removal of Anelka from the City side does not appear to have done Fowler any harm and although Newcastle's defence may not be the best, he kept them busy with a series of intelligent runs with and without the ball.
Unfortunately for Keegan, Fowler's efforts could not bring the Blues a winner and neither could Thatcher, who - eager to atone for his earlier error and proving that the collapse of his move to Fulham would not affect his efforts for City - charged up and down the left flank like a man possessed.
Instead, the only noteworthy incident of the final half hour proved to be a booking for Paul Bosvelt which will rule the Dutchman out of the clash with Manchester United on February 13.
Managers praise 250-man Shearer
Rival bosses Graeme Souness and Kevin Keegan were united in hailing record-breaker Alan Shearer as the finest English striker ever tonight - but divided over whether he will quit this summer.
Shearer slammed home his 250th Premiership goal to put the Magpies in front against Manchester City only for Robbie Fowler's second-half penalty to earn the Blues a point.
It was the veteran forward's 186th career goal for his hometown team, taking him to within 14 of Jackie Milburn's much-prized club record, which Shearer now has a minimum of 16 matches to break.
The goal brought another avalanche of praise from the manager guiding his career now, and the one who brought him to Newcastle in the first place.
Souness described Shearer as the finest English centre-forward of all time and Keegan said: 'I totally agree with that assessment and I would doubly underline it.
'It would be a surprise if he had said anything else.
'He has now scored 250 Premiership goals in a career where he has suffered two very serious injuries. Without those you could have been talking somewhere in the region of 300.
'He is 14 goals away from Jackie Milburn's record now and I wouldn't bet against him equalling it in the very last game of the season, hopefully at St James' Park.'
Where Souness and Keegan differ in their views of Shearer is over the vexed question of his retirement.
Souness has not yet given up hope of persuading the forward to extend his career by another year and the possibility of a coaching post has been offered in the hope of Shearer postponing his anticipated move into the media.
'I want him around the place, even if it means he doesn't play every week,' said the Newcastle chief.
'He is a great example to everyone and I have not given up hope of him staying. Put it this way, it will be an easier decision for him if he scores every week because that record is within his grasp now.'
Shearer has insisted his mind will not be changed and though the topic was probably not part of the short pre-match conversation Keegan had with the man he made England captain this evening, the City boss knows him well enough to believe the decision is final.
'I don't think anything will change his mind now,' said Keegan.
'It doesn't matter what I think, what Graeme Souness thinks or what the fans think. If you knew Alan Shearer like I do you would know once he has made a decision, nothing will change his mind.
'He has probably thought long and hard about the situation and that is it.'
Shearer's milestone was more notable than anything else that occurred in a largely drab affair that just underlined Newcastle's inability to kill off inferior opponents.
With Shaun Wright-Phillips having one of his less productive evenings, City looked incapable of dragging themselves back into the game until Titus Bramble chopped the England man down, allowing Fowler to snatch a point and keep both teams cemented in mid-table.
England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has hinted he intends to play Wright-Phillips on the left-hand side of midfield against Holland at Villa Park on Wednesday and though it is the opposite side of the pitch to where the winger appears most effective, Keegan is confident his player can handle it.
'A lot of people think it would be unfair to play him out of position but I don't have a problem with it and I don't think Shaun will either,' said Keegan.
'The fact is the England coach has to find a place for Shaun in his starting line-up.
'Shaun will see it as his big opportunity to get in from the start for England and once he does, they won't be able to get him out.'
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