Minnows have Energy to give Souness a fight

Graeme Souness will be the centre of attention tonight when he takes charge of his first game since taking over as Newcastle manager but opposition goalkeeper Energy Murambadoro believes his team provide a excellent example of togetherness.

Bnei Sakhnin, from a poverty stricken Palestinian town of 20,000 inhabitants in Nazareth, are the poor relations of Israel's top division.

They buck the trend with a squad made up of Jews, Muslims and Christians which will make history at St James' Park as the first Arab side to compete in the UEFA Cup.

Following promotion in 2003, they confounded critics last season by becoming the first team from the Arab sector to win the Israeli Cup.

Zimbabwe international Murambadoro, who is on a seasonlong loan deal from Kaps United in his homeland, said: "There are a lot of different races at the club.

"We are a good thing for Israeli football because we are showing that whatever race or colour you are, you can still come together and do well."

The 22-year-old, named in the African Nations team of the tournament, added: "We are relatively small and we want to prove to the world what we can do." Souness said: "We'll be fielding a team we think can win this game and win it well, and with one eye on the game at Southampton on Sunday."

Nicky Butt, Olivier Bernard and Darren Ambrose all return after recovering from injuries.

Meanwhile, Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren is relying on the experience within his squad to ensure their first taste of European competition does not turn sour.

McClaren has conceded that but for last season's Carling Cup victory, bringing with it a place in the UEFA Cup, he would not have signed Mark Viduka, Ray Parlour, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Michael Reiziger.

It is those players, together with captain Gareth Southgate, Szilard Nemeth and Bobo Zenden to whom McClaren will turn when Boro take on Czech champions Banik Ostrava at the Riverside tonight.

McClaren said: "The players know the importance of these matches. They have grasped just what this competition means to the club."