Humbling must be avoided at all costs

No points out of six, seven goals conceded, Habib Beye and Mark Viduka lost to the cause. All goodwill was forgotten, gloom descended once again.

However, Sebastien Bassong is back tomorrow and thank goodness for that because the defending against Liverpool was nothing short of criminal.

How Premier League footballers can sacrifice acres of space to quality opposition, play like strangers, and display as much courage as a cowering mouse confronted by a roaring lion I don't know. Wages ought to have been docked.

There is an obligation to put all that right at the KC Stadium because the travelling Toon Army deserve so much more.

Unfortunately, Beye is not accompanying Bassong back into action thanks to Boro-born Lee Cattermole who, having done Joey Barton at St James's Park, proceeded to bear-trap Habib and put him on a stretcher in the Wigan return.

All Toon Army foot soldiers will wish to thank Cattermole and hope he prospers in the New Year!

Beye's absence means the defence which kept three consecutive clean sheets away until it was disturbed at Wigan - when Jose Enrique was bizarrely injured in the warm-up, Beye later hurt and Bassong sent off - cannot be brought together again.

That's a great shame.

There have been injury problems up front as well, of course, with Viduka suffering from his usual twisted sock about this time of year.

His fitness record makes Michael Owen look like an ever-present.

Oba Martins, who contributes much-needed pace and power, is still trying to free himself from injury, while Alan Smith has been non-existent all season so we're once again looking towards Shola Ameobi, who was supposed to be sold into the Championship during the summer months. Shola certainly has stickability.

Not for Newcastle the luxury of deliberately resting established stars with more ambitious prizes to be chased.

This is all that remains and consequently takes on significant proportions.
Besides, United have too many injuries and too slim a squad, which is why this month of transfer activity is so important to Joe Kinnear and supporters alike.

Absent landlord Mike Ashley holds the hopes of thousands in his grasp. His actions will reveal so much to so many.

Hull, some think, could be on the slide after their early-season heroics which included victory at St James's Park.

Their last three matches have been the humiliating home defeat by Sunderland, a 5-1 hammering at Manchester City and another home setback, 1-0 against Aston Villa.

Manager Phil Brown, a Tynesider who watched United win the Fairs Cup on the terraces but went on to support Sunderland, has to earn his stripes all over again, and doing the double over the Mags would be an ideal way to start.

That must be avoided at all costs or United's season will take on a grim look, with nothing but a long haul against the threat of relegation.

Let us flirt with our one-time regular companion for at least a little while longer.