Taylor to be fit for the Baggies game

[Scottish Mag 3]

Steven Taylor started his comeback in earnest today with the aim of returning to the Newcastle United side before the end of the season.

 

But the Easter programme against Wigan at St James' Park on Saturday and Sunderland at the Stadium of Light 48 hours later will come too soon for the defender.

 

However, the England Under-21 international could be back in the picture against West Brom at St James' Park a week on Saturday.

 

And left-back Celestine Babayaro, who has missed the last three games after limping off with a thigh tear in the FA Cup quarter-final defeat at his former club Chelsea, is now back in training and available for selection.

 

Albert Luque also returned to training today and this left United with only one player watching from the sidelines - striker Michael Owen - and even he is making good progress.

 

Taylor has not kicked a ball since he put his shoulder out for the second time after just 27 minutes in the defeat by Liverpool at Anfield on Boxing Day - and he has been badly missed.

 

However, an upbeat caretaker manager Glenn Roeder said today: "Taylor has been in training for a while now and is actually physically fit, but today was the first time he will have had the green light to go full out.

 

"He will have full contact with the rest of the players with no quarter given for the first time and, knowing the kind of lad he is, we are expecting him to come through this OK.

 

"I am always reluctant to set comeback deadlines on players, but I would say if things go to plan we could have Steven available by the time West Brom come up to St James' Park a week on Saturday."

 

If this is the case then, barring any other mishaps in the double header over Easter, by a week on Saturday Owen will be the only player not available to Roeder.

 

Owen's foot injury has been a touchy subject, with United fans quite naturally becoming a trifle annoyed at talk of the England World Cup implications.

 

But Roeder is only concerned about United, and he added: "Michael will actually step up his running today and things are going along very nicely for him at the moment."

 

Right from the moment Owen damaged his foot in that collision with his England colleague Paul Robinson in the dismal defeat by Spurs on New Year's Eve, United have been cagy about the date of their £17m striker's return.

 

They are still refusing to put any time on when Owen will be back in a black-and- white shirt, and some fans understandably are worried that he will not play for United again this season.

 

But I believe Owen could well be back on the United bench for the final away game at Birmingham on Saturday, April 29.

 

This would then give Owen the opportunity of being in United's starting line-up for the final game of the season against Chelsea at St James' Park on Sunday, May 7 - and line up against his big England pals John Terry, Joe Cole and Frank Lampard.

 

Chelsea are likely to bring down the curtain at St James' Park for the second season in a row as Premiership champions, and although the result may not be so important to them, you would expect the likes of Lampard, Terry and Cole still to play.

[Guest CrimsonFault]

Unless we have a real chance of some European football, which is highly unlikely, keep him in cotton wool for next season.