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Carver: 'Strikers Need To Step Up'
Written by Newcastle Utd
John carver has called on his strikers to "step up to the plate" in the absence of Papiss Cisse
By Emily Bulmer
Newcastle United head coach John carver has called on his strikers to "step up to the plate" in the absence of suspended leading scorer Papiss Cisse.
Senegalese front man Cisse has netted 11 goals this season, but starts a seven-match ban this weekend following an incident with Manchester United's Jonny Evans at St. James' Park last week.
A while he will undoubtedly be a loss, Carver believes it creates an opportunity for others - including Emmanuel Riviere - to get their names on the score sheet.
"Pappis was a big enough loss when he went off to the Africa Cup of Nations over Christmas, and he is going to be a huge loss now as he is our main threat," explained Carver, ahead of Sunday's trip to Everton.
"However I am looking at his absence as an opportunity for other people now and they need to start stepping up to the plate.
"We're putting a team out there now that can provide crosses and that are good at putting balls in the box.
"In the Manchester United game it wasn't just Pappis that had chances to score, we created chances as a team but we are going to need a bit of fortune.
"You just need to look at Emmanuel Riviere - he has never, ever stopped trying, he gets himself in all the right areas and he just needs to take one of his chances.
"Gabriel (Obertan) is definitely an option up front for us as well with his pace and his power, but we've still got a few options we can use in place of Pappis.
"He (Pappis) has been down this week because of what happened in the last match.
"I think he made a good statement, he held his hands up and he was right to do that because there is no place in the game for what happened."