NEWCASTLE UNITED ARE PREPARING for a game that Glenn Roeder, their manager, claims they have no hope of being able to peak for. Yet it is one that will shape the entire course of their season.

“There’s a lot riding on next week, it’s massive,” Shay Given, the goalkeeper, admitted of the return leg of the Intertoto Cup third-round tie against Lillestrom. “It’s up there with our most important European games. We’ve not got players in yet and qualifying for the Uefa Cup is one of the carrots to persuade some of the top ones to come here.”

It seems ridiculously early to talk of pivotal moments after 90 minutes of competition, but that is exactly what Newcastle will face on the outskirts of Oslo on Saturday.

The ideal scenario reads something like this. Victory leads to progress in the Uefa Cup, which provides greater pulling power in the transfer market, which paves the way for the arrival of better players, who will ensure a competitive domestic campaign to build on the seventh place secured in May.

On the flip side, however, failure to remain in the competition, which is a distinct possibility on the evidence of the first leg, means the desired snowball effect runs in entirely the opposite direction, which does not bear contemplation. Rarely are things dull at St James’ Park, but the drama is unfolding early even by Newcastle standards.

“We’re very limited in the squad,” Given, who was beaten by Robert Koren’s deflected first-half shot, said. Echoing the sentiments of Scott Parker, the newly appointed captain, the Ireland goalkeeper added: “It’s no secret we need to get some players in if we’re going to do anything.”

It was somewhat ironic that a player whose much-vaunted departure would release badly-needed funds to bolster the strengthening process should play such a central role in ensuring that Newcastle still harbour hopes of progression. Albert Luque’s first competitive goal in front of the Gallowgate shortly after half-time gives rise to aspirations of a Uefa Cup run that the Spaniard may not be around to participate in, should a fair offer be received.

A £9 million legacy of the Graeme Souness era, Luque has been little short of hopeless in his 11 months on Tyneside. “Last season wasn’t good for me, but hopefully this goal is the start of things getting better,” he said of his expertly curled equaliser.

“He’s had a chat with the manager, and it’s up to Albert now,” Luque’s team-mate, Nolberto Solano, said. “He’s a good player and a good character.” Few regular Newcastle watchers would concur that Luque is the man to help to offset the absence of Alan Shearer and Michael Owen in the long run.

Tellingly, Roeder, who is having to operate within tightly constrained financial boundaries thanks in part to the profligacy of his predecessor in the transfer market, said: “Every club has got players the previous manager signed who the current manager wishes they hadn’t. You get lumbered with them because they’re on four-year contracts, and you can’t get rid.”

Roeder attempted, along with his opposite number on Saturday, Uwe Rösler, the former Manchester City forward, to ensure the other was installed as favourite for the return, for which Newcastle might have held the advantage had Alan O’Brien, the substitute, not shot wide in injury time.

“You can’t say anything other than it’s a hugely important game. It will be a terrific atmosphere over there,” Roeder said. “You can’t peak in your first competitive games, but after all the hard work of last year we don’t want to slide out now.”

Newcastle will benefit from a further week of work on their fitness, though the advantage clearly rests with the much sharper-looking Scandinavians. “We’d have liked a clean sheet and maybe to have sneaked a couple of goals to take over there,” Given conceded.

Rösler kept four regulars out of the starting line-up, and substituted another two in the second half before a key domestic fixture on Wednesday. “We have no midweek game after the second leg so we can field our strongest team on Saturday,” he said, ominously.

HOW THEY LINED UP

Newcastle United (4-4-2): S Given — S Carr, S Taylor, T Bramble, C Babayaro — N Solano, S Parker, E Belözoglu, C N’Zogbia — A Luque (sub: A O’Brien, 82min), J Milner (sub: S Ameobi 65). Substitutes not used: S Harper, A Faye, N Butt, P Ramage, M Pattison

Lillestrom (4-4-2): H Muller — J P Winsnes (sub: C Kali, 5), P S Andresen, A Rambekk, S Steganutto — B H Riise (sub: K Wehrman, 69), K Mouelhi, E Sogard, R Koren (sub: P Strand 61) — O Occean, M Mifsud. Substitutes not used: O Fredrikson, M Myjkebust, F Kippe, A Sundgot. Booked: Occean

Referee: Joeri Van Der Velde (Belgium)

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