Sam Allardyce has warned Nicky Butt and Alan Smith not to change their tough-tackling styles just because they are both facing a second ban of the season.
The United pair go into tomorrow's game with Derby at St James' Park on seven bookings apiece and just three away from a possible second suspension of the season.
Smith and Butt have until the second Sunday in April to sweat on any ban but Allardyce is more concerned about the immediate future when he sees Nigerian Obafemi Martins, Habib Beye and Abdoulaye Faye (Senegal) and his skipper Geremi (Cameroon) head off to the African Nations Cup next month.
"With four players going away to the African Nations Cup and tomorrow seeing the start of a spell of four games in 10 or 11 days when we are likely to pick up injuries the last thing we want is to have any of our players suspended," admitted Allardyce.
"We know that Nicky Butt and Alan Smith are on seven bookings each but they are under instructions to keep playing their normal games.
"Certainly there is no way we are going to ask them to curtail the physical side of their games which is part and parcel of their make-up. We will look at the situation after our next four games."
Both Butt and Smith have special reasons for wanting to do well against Derby tomorrow.
Butt goes into the game after signing an extension to his contract while Smith will make his 250th appearance in the Premier League with Leeds, Manchester United and now Newcastle.
Smith has started 206 matches and made 43 substitute appearances but has so far failed to add to his 45 top-flight goals since joining the Magpies.
Allardyce is also keeping a close eye on Joey Barton and Beye who are on three cautions apiece and two more away from a one-match ban.
But Newcastle have not had a player sent off this season and have Derby.
In a week when three high-profile players - Denilson, Peter Crouch and Didier Zokora - were sent off for two footed-tackles Allardyce revealed: "We are talking to the players all the time because the new FIFA rules are making things a bit confusing for them."
Meanwhile, the sacking of Lawrie Sanchez will not be lost on Allardyce, especially as it came less than a week after Fulham were beaten 1-0 by Newcastle by a last minute Barton penalty at Craven Cottage.
It is not so long ago that Allardyce was considered the bookies' favourite to be the next Barclays Premier League manager to get the sack.
But tomorrow Newcastle face Derby with seven points out of the last nine and in with a shout of three back-to-back victories in the Premier League for the first time since they beat Portsmouth, Reading and Blackburn 12 months ago.
Allardyce said: "If we can pick up three wins in a row it would be a great milestone to achieve."
