Beye boost for Magpies

12:58pm Monday 6th October 2008

Newcastle defender Habib Beye is ready to hand manager Joe Kinnear another boost as he prepares for his comeback.

The 30-year-old Senegal international missed Sunday's 2-2 Barclays Premier League draw at Everton after a month on the sidelines with an Achilles injury, but could be in contention for Manchester City's visit to St James' Park on Monday, October 20.

"I trained on Friday, but the Everton game was too soon," he told the club's official website, www.nufc.co.uk. "The Premier League is very fast and physical and you have to be at your best to play."

He added: "Now I have two weeks to work on my fitness and by the time we play Man City, I will be fine and ready to play."

That will be good news for the Magpies, who were without specialist full-backs throughout September.

Jose Enrique damaged his hamstring at Arsenal on August 30, the same game in which Beye picked up his injury.

In their absence, central defenders Steven Taylor, David Edgar and Sebastien Bassong, as well as midfielders Geremi and Charles N'Zogbia, have filled in, with mixed results.

Enrique returned at Goodison Park, but limped off before half-time with his side already trailing 2-0.

Bassong took over from the Spaniard at left-back, but it was right-back Taylor who made the bigger impression, heading home his side's first goal in first-half stoppage time, and then providing the cross from which Damien Duff levelled with just his second league goal for the club shortly after the restart.

The draw ended Newcastle's five-game losing run and got Kinnear's temporary reign off to a positive start.

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