Mehdi Ready For Reds

By Dan King - Newcastle United Club Reporter

Mehdi Abeid and James Tavernier have spent the last four days enjoying the sun in Tenerife, but the pair can expect a rather different climate when they travel with the Reserves to Moss Lane, the home of Altrincham, to take on Manchester United on Thursday (kick-off 7pm).

The young pair are very much in Alan Pardew's plans and joined the first-team squad on their warm-weather training camp in the Canary Islands, but will link up with Willie Donachie's second-string squad for their meeting with the Barclays Premier Reserve League North title-challengers.

Newcastle are in third place, two points behind the Red Devils, so could overtake Warren Joyce's team with a win - although a young Toon side were beaten 5-1 in this fixture last season.

Besides Abeid and Tavernier, Tamas Kadar and Ryan Donaldson also boast first-team experience with the Magpies, while goalkeepers Jak Alnwick and Ole Soderberg, defender Jeff Henderson and Faroe Islands international Joan Edmundsson have all played senior football during loan spells elsewhere.

But Donachie is without Phil Airey, who is on loan with Gateshead, as well as midfielders Bradden Inman and Michael Richardson, who are injured. Stephen Folan and Conor Newton are both on the way back from respective knee problems, while Paul Dummett is back in full training following an ankle complaint, but is not considered fit enough to play.

Dan Taylor, who has scored four goals in two games for Ashington during a work experience loan, is included as is Adam Campbell who will join up with the England under-17 party for the Algarve Tournament after the match.

The squad is: Ole Soderberg, Jak Alnwick, James Tavernier, Patrick Nzuzi, Tamas Kadar, Remie Streete, Jeff Henderson, Mehdi Abeid, Steven Logan, Greg McDermott, Yven Moyo, Joan Edmundsson, Ryan McGorrigan, Adam Campbell, Dan Taylor, Ryan Donaldson.