Steven Taylor is set to return for Newcastle United in the crunch match against Chelsea. A series of injuries allied to the centre-half’s refusal to sign a new contract at Newcastle have conspired to sideline him but, with Chris Hughton’s first-choice pairing of Fabricio Coloccini and Mike Williamson both suspended, Taylor will start alongside the similarly ring-rusty Sol Campbell.
“Steven Taylor has been fit for a good while now but he’s missed a lot of games,” said the Newcastle manager. “What you have with Steven, though, is a very good player.”
Moreover, Hughton is hoping to broker a compromise over Newcastle’s contract offer. “We certainly want to keep him here,” he said. “He’s the right profile, the right age and the right quality for the type of player we want here at Newcastle. We want Steven and we’ll endeavour to keep him.”