Nicky Butt, the Newcastle United midfielder, faces a disciplinary dilemma as he attempts to do Manchester United, his former club, a favour on Monday.

Nothing would please Butt more than playing a key part in derailing Chelsea’s Premier League title hopes when Avram Grant’s side visit St James’ Park.

However, the 33-year-old heads into Newcastle’s penultimate match of the season on 14 bookings, knowing another would see him automatically banned for the first three games of next season.

Kevin Keegan, the Newcastle manager, is prepared to take a chance with arguably the club’s most consistent performer of a difficult campaign as he attempts to extend a seven-match unbeaten run which has revitalised the Tyneside club.

“I will have a chat with Nicky about it all, but my feeling is that he is a vital player for us,” Keegan said. “Nicky is always the sort of player who is going to get booked because he is so competitive and he goes in there and tries to win challenges. He has got to handle that.

“When you are doing as many as he does over 90-odd minutes, you are going to mis-time some.”

Butt, who has already served two suspensions this season, picked up his 14th caution in last Saturday’s 2-2 draw at West Ham United. Though Keegan is desperate to put on a good display against the only member of the top four his side have yet to face since they launched their recent recovery last month. Before that, they lost 3-0 at Arsenal, 5-1 at home to Manchester United and 3-0 to Liverpool at Anfield as the new manager went nine games without a win.

Butt spent more than 11 years as a professional at his hometown club, winning six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and, famously in the absence of the suspended Roy Keane and Paul Scholes, the Champions League in 1999.

Meanwhile, Steven Taylor, the Newcastle defender, will put contract talks to one side as he attempts to finish off the campaign in style.

The 22-year-old, whose father Alf had been looking after his affairs, has now engaged an agent to negotiate a new deal after reaching an impasse.

Both Keegan and Chris Mort, the chairman, have indicated their willingness to resolve the matter but the player himself is focusing only of the last two games of an eventful season, against Chelsea and then at Everton next Sunday.

“The next game is the only thing I am looking at, it is as simple as that,” Taylor said.

“I have got an agent now and I will leave the rest to other people. There has been enough talk all season. I have had my say and now I am just getting on with my football.

“I am enjoying playing under the new manager and I just want to play every game.”