Roy Keane has hinted that some players could be dropped for Sunday's derby with the Mags - and he isn't about to apologise for it either.

The gaffer has dropped several players throughout the season, with some of those decisions being somewhat unpopular, and it looks like that could happen again ahead of the game at St James' Park on Sunday lunchtime.

Keane said: "We have done it once or twice, but I am not one for having a one-to-one in my office and a nice little cuddle in the corner.

"I just say, 'I will judge you on what you do on the training pitch and what you do in the games', and the players appreciate that. They know where they stand – there are no grey areas. I say to the players all the time, 'I will judge what I see with my eyes, not what I hear from you or your agent'.

"I am sure I will continue to do that. I wouldn't be a great one for sitting down with the players and having too many long chats. I say to every player, 'If you train properly and you answer me on the training pitch and in the games, you don't need to be coming to see me in the office'.

"When players are left out, listen, you don't need to tell me they are grumpy. I know that, I know they are unhappy about it. No player likes to be left out, but they have to answer me in the best way, and that's by training properly."