Hughton Looking To Follow Keegan's Lead!

"We feel we can get the spark going again.

"We have to use this game against Arsenal to do that.

"Whoever you support - whether it is Newcastle or Arsenal or a neutral - you always look forward to the big games in football.

"This one is a big game at St James's Park against one of the best teams in the country.

"At one stage they were the best team in the country a few years ago.

"It is a big occasion and what you need is everybody to have the right approach. I am looking for the players to respond to the big occasion.

"We have been here before and it was similar last year.

"Now we just have to make sure we pick up the same results.

"If we do that, and the quicker the better, we will move away from the pack."

2007/8 BIRMINGHAM CITY 1 NEWCASTLE UTD 1

Michael Owen eased some of the pressure on Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan by rescuing a precious 1-1 draw in a nervy Barclays Premier League relegation battle with Birmingham at St Andrews.

England coach Fabio Capello watched Owen show his predatory instincts in front of goal as he levelled matters 10 minutes into the second half with his seventh goal of the campaign.

James McFadden had given Birmingham a deserved half-time lead but it was a different story after the break when the Magpies looked the more menacing.

Owen's strike earned Newcastle only their third point from the eight Premier League matches since Keegan returned to Tyneside and it was enough to keep them above Alex McLeish's side in the battle to stay in the top flight.

Newcastle were disjointed and barely posed a threat in the opening 45 minutes despite Keegan playing Owen, Mark Viduka and Obafemi Martins together for the first time.

Birmingham were well worth their interval lead with McFadden a constant menace after being restored to the starting line-up and Fabrice Muamba impressing in the centre of midfield.

But the visitors were transformed after Keegan's half-time pep talk and they dominated proceedings and caused the home defence all kinds of problems.

It needed home goalkeeper Maik Taylor to make some crucial saves to deny Newcastle their first league win since mid-December.

McFadden quickly made his presence felt for the home side. The former Everton player unleashed a 20-yard drive which took a slight deflection off Habib Beye and flashed only a couple of feet wide of Steve Harper's goal.

Muamba had scored his first Blues goal against Portsmouth in midweek but he showed a complete lack of composure when lofting his first time shot over the bar from 15 yards out after good play by Mikael Forssell and McFadden.

The Magpies were unconvincing in defending a Gary McSheffrey corner and the ball bobbled about in the box before Forssell poked a low shot just wide.

Another McSheffrey corner was met by Blues central defender Radhi Jaidi but he failed to make a proper contact with his header which flew wide.

Newcastle midfielder Geremi became the first player to be yellow-carded after 20 minutes for a challenge on Sebastian Larsson.

It was 24 minutes before Newcastle had a worthwhile effort on goal with Owen just too high from 20 yards out after being found in space by Martins.

But after 32 minutes McFadden broke the deadlock with his ninth goal of the campaign - and his fourth for Blues since his £6million move from Goodison Park.

There appeared little danger when left-back David Murphy lofted the ball into the Newcastle box but McFadden was able to turn Abdoulaye Faye before clipping the ball wide of Steve Harper into the corner of the net.

Larsson was on the receiving end of another poor challenge, this time by Butt, but the midfielder was only given a stern talking to by referee Howard Webb.

McFadden appealed for a penalty after being challenged by Faye but referee Howard Webb was well positioned and waved play on.

McLeish was forced to make a half-time substitution with the limping Larsson replaced by Stuart Parnaby.

Birmingham began where they left off and Harper denied Forssell from close range after good play by McFadden.

After 50 minutes Owen - unmarked 10 yards out - tried to curl the ball past Taylor but the Birmingham goalkeeper made an excellent reflex save to deny him at the expense of a corner.

However, Owen was not to be denied and after 56 minutes he grabbed an equaliser with his seventh goal of the campaign.

Taylor again did well to parry away a low drive from Martins but Owen was the first to react to the rebound and clipped it into the corner of the net.

Newcastle defender Steven Taylor was booked for bringing down McFadden before Maik Taylor pushed aside a stinging drive from Jose Enrique.

The visitors finished the stronger and Maik Taylor had to be alert to keep out a shot on the turn from Martins, with Birmingham's only offering in the closing stages a long-range drive from substitute Mauro Zarate.