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Youth And Experience For Under-21s At Derby
Written by Newcastle Utd
Siem de Jong, Facundo Ferreyra and Adam Armstrong will play for Newcastle's under-21s at Derby on Tuesday afternoon
By Dan King - Newcastle United Digital Editor
Peter Beardsley will call upon a mixture of youth and experience when Newcastle's under-21s take on Derby County on Tuesday (kick-off 3pm).
After scoring in his first Barclays Premier League appearance in almost eight months against Swansea last Saturday, Siem de Jong will continue his comeback from a collapsed lung at the Rams' training centre while Adam Armstrong and Facundo Ferreyra - both so impressive in last week's second-string win at Aston Villa - are also set to feature.
But Football Development Manager Beardsley is also poised to blood a couple of Academy players after Kevin Richardson and Liam Bramley's under-18s beat Arsenal 6-0 nine days ago.
United's under-21s lost 2-0 to promotion-chasing Derby at St. James' Park earlier this month and Beardsley told nufc.co.uk: "We were disappointed we lost the game but they played well.
"They were powerful and strong. The way they try to play football is good and they're doing well at this level. They may well go up but we're looking to win as many games as we can between now and the end of the season.
"And having people like Siem, Chucky and Arma, who can score goals and make goals, is good for us because the three of them were outstanding together at Aston Villa.
"We'll also have a couple of young players who might get a chance for the first time - but I haven't told them yet, so I can't tell you!
"It'll be interesting for them because they'll step up from the Academy to the Reserves. We know the next jump is even bigger, but for them it'll be a good experience."
De Jong showed just what Newcastle have missed for most of the season with his well-taken goal last weekend, and the Dutchman could play for the full 90 minutes at Derby as he looks to increase his match fitness.
"We know he's a top player, there's no doubt about it," said Beardsley.
"When you see his goal on Saturday, so many players would have blasted that ball. It would have been easy to blast it over the bar but the skill and the knowledge to sidefoot it - that's what you pay for.
"He is brilliant with the kids - he talks to them and leads them through the game.
"Vurnon Anita is the same, a great character. They obviously breed them the right way at Ajax, and when you've played for Ajax and won the league four years in a row, you have to have something about you."
Defender Paul Dummett will not travel to the East Midlands. The Wales international, who has been out since February with a knee injury, will remain on Tyneside so as not to interrupt his training schedule as he nears a first team return.