Michael Chopra was gutted when he left Newcastle, and couldn't resist a parting shot at £9.5m Toon misfit Alberto Luque. "They (Luque and Patrick Kluivert) never had any passion for Newcastle, yet they were picked ahead of me," said the 22-year old.
And on a night when Chopra shot down the Mackems with two goals that dented their play-off hopes and boosted his own, 28-year-old Luque was jetting off to Sicily with the Magpies hoping to get the chance to show his real worth.
Due to injuries to Obafemi Martins, Shola Ameobi and Michael Owen, the Spaniard will be given the opportunity to remind the club why Graeme Souness splashed out the cash almost 18 months ago.
Roeder: "All I can do is provide the stage, it is up to him to show what he can do. This is a huge opportunity for him to show me, Newcastle United and our supporters what he is capable of doing - and to prove he has a future.
"I think he was very happy when I told him he would play and now it is up to Alberto Luque to make the step up and show why (Graeme) Souness paid that money for him.
"We are taking the UEFA Cup seriously and, although we have got to improve our Premiership form, the UEFA Cup is still a priority. We want to go as far as we can in the competition, but know it is going to be difficult tomorrow, given the form they are in.
"All of my players are looking forward to the game tomorrow."