Big Sam fumes at Buffon 'assault'

Sam Allardyce last night accused Gianluigi Buffon of a challenge verging on common assault on Newcastle's Andy Carroll.

The Juventus goalkeeper smashed into 18-year-old Carroll in the first half of yesterday's friendly at St James' Park, which Newcastle won 2-0.

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The forward did recover from the challenge, in which Buffon clattered into him at head height, but a furious Allardyce compared the incident to Harald Schumacher's infamous bodysmash on Patrick Battiston in the 1982 World Cup Finals.

The Newcastle manager said: "It was a bit like that Schumacher all those years ago. It was more like common assault than anything else.

"Andy is lucky he is not in hospital after a challenge like that. Happily, there are no effects. He went on to score and that must be a thrill for him."

Juve boss Claudio Ranieri denied Buffon set out to deliberately to injure Carroll. The world's most expensive goalkeeper, who cost Juve £32million from Parma, was not booked by referee Mark Clattenburg and Ranieri said: "It was an accident. He is a gentleman."

Allardyce, meanwhile, insisted Kieron Dyer is still heading for the St James' Park exit despite an impressive cameo against the Turin club.

Allardyce said: "He played well. But I don't think we can keep him for the reasons I gave on Thursday. The only way I can see to resolve this is for Kieron to move closer to his family. Nobody has come in with the right money yet. Nobody has offered anything like what we want."

West Ham and Tottenham are both being linked with the England midfielder, although the Newcastle boss insisted no formal offers have been made.

He added: "If they don't come in with the right offer then all I can do is sit down with Kieron and see if there's something else we can do."