KEEGAN: NO RIFT WITH MARTINS

Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan has denied falling out with Obafemi Martins after the striker reacted badly to being substituted on Monday.

Martins, like Robbie Keane against Manchester City on Sunday, took exception to being replaced and let his manager see his displeasure by muttering to himself as he left the pitch.

However, under-fire Keegan has played down the altercation, stating he would not be happy if a player was happy at being substituted.

“I haven’t got a problem with him,” said Keegan. “I wouldn’t be happy to fetch a player off and then seeing them doing cartwheels and being pleased to come off.

“You’ve seen it with Robbie Keane as well the other night. I like that in players. All right, I went over to him afterwards and said I know it hurts when you come off.

“But it was not for his performance. It was just tactical and myself saying ‘let’s just shore things up here’. Obafemi put a really good stint in.

“He has every right to be disappointed but I think whoever I fetched off at Birmingham would have been disappointed because they certainly were committed.

“There is no problem. We won’t fight or fall out.”