Shearer Outburst To Rival Keegans "I'd Love It!"?

After an earlier clash when Shearer seemed to knock the Grimsby player on the back of the head, the mood was set and Whittle gained revenge when he smashed the Newcastle skipper in the face with a vicious swing of his elbow.

The after match interview was "interesting" to say the least. Not quite as emotional as Kevin Keegan's "I'd love it", but not far behind, and Shearer's astonishing outburst left us wondering if he was about to go outside to "kick it off" with Whittle. But to the Grimsby player's credit, he wanted to "get it on" just as much!

Alan Shearer: "It would have been easy for me to have gone out there and stuck one on him because he did me out there. That's what I wanted to do. He (Whittle) knows that he did me. The referee was only a few yards away, but he didn't do anything. I wanted to do him, but I got him back by scoring the winner.

"It's a hard game and you have to look after yourself out there. I have done that for years, but I have been caught tonight. The goal was the best way to get him back, no matter how much I wanted to do him. That's the coward's way. I'm still very angry."

Graeme Souness: "It was a very dangerous challenge which resulted in Alan having three stitches. The challenge angered me, yes, most definitely. Should he have been sent off? Most certainly, yes. I would ask the referee to look at it on the TV and then see what he thinks. I have had the benefit of the replay and it was not a very good challenge. Alan is very angry and he is entitled to be."

Grimsby boss Russell Slade: "It was a bruising battle between the two of them all evening. All I can say is that Alan Shearer is a very competitive player and always has been. My centre-half is the same. On these occasions, it can get a bit bruising. It appeared to be a real battle but I didn't see it so I can't comment."