The task at hand is sizeable given the way that Claudio Ranieri has his side performing and they will no doubt be looking to continue their fine run of form tomorrow.
For United it gives us an opportunity to build on the fortunate victory we managed against Bournemouth last time out. In all honesty we didn’t deserve the three points in what was our worst performance of the season, but having said that our best performance of the season saw us lose 3-0 so figure.
Prior to the match the French national anthem will be played through the speakers at St James’ Park and indeed at every Premier League ground this weekend to enable a moment of reflection on the despicable events from Paris that we’ve all seen and heard so much about and also to show solidarity against the twisted evil behind all of this.
Anyway back to the football…
Newcastle:
Tim Krul, Jack Colback, Rolando Aarons, Steven Taylor and Gabriel Obertan are all still out as are Sylvain Marveaux and Emmanuel Riviere. Massadio Haidara is close to a return to fitness but is also ruled out.
Rob Elliot is likely to continue in goal after skipping international duty with Ireland but should he not make it we do have Karl Darlow to call upon although the preference would be for him to take a spot on the bench as he’s only just returned to training.
Moussa Sissoko, Daryl Janmaat, Georginio Wijnaldum, Chancel Mbemba, Paul Dummett and Aleksandar Mitrovic all played for their respective international sides during the break although events in Hannover and most certainly Paris may well be on the minds of Dutch and French players.
Leicester:
The only concern for Ranieri, and it is a big concern, is the availability of Jamie Vardy. The top scorer in the league missed international duty with England after picking up a hip injury against Watford and the Leicester boss is adamant he will not risk his prize asset unless he is 100% fit and passes a fitness test in Saturday morning. Ranieri said:
“I don’t know if he will be fit. He trained a little today and then tomorrow hopefully he will train again. Maybe Saturday morning I will decide. If he is fit he will play because every time he wants to play, every match. I hope he is available.”
He added: “I speak to the doctor, with the physios. If they tell me he is okay 100 percent then he plays. If not I don’t want to risk him and then lose him for a month. In all my career I have not risked a player for one match and then lose them for a month. He will play if everything is okay.”
Maybe a bluff?
Previously:
Historically speaking United have been much the stronger side at St James’ Park having won 37 of the 55 matches played. Leicester have won just seven with 11 draws making up the figures.
Bu Leicester are stronger at their place (home advantage is no surprise I guess) so while United shade the head-to-head the actual record stand at 111 games played with United winning 47, Leicester 39 with draws in 25 occasions.
Interestingly both sides have scored 175 goals each in fixtures between the two clubs.
Stats and facts:
If Newcastle win it will be the first time in 12 months that United have recorded back-to-back league victories.
If our defence can register another clean sheet it will be a third shut out in a row – again a feat last achieved 12 months ago.
If passed fit Jamie Vardy is looking to score in his tenth consecutive Premier League game. Only Ruud van Nistelrooy has managed it before, and he scored his tenth goal against Newcastle.
If Leicester avoid a loss they will set a new club record of ten away top flight games without defeat.
Final thought:
You have to give credit to Leicester. They simply never give up. This is a spirit that was built by Nigel Pearson when they looked dead and buried last season but they survived and now Claudio Ranieri has taken it on.
But United need the points on the board and have a point to prove, not necessarily against Leicester, just in general. All the talk is about how they’ve improved and I think performances have to an extent as has the type of football – Bournemouth excluded. But now they have to start putting the points on the board to show it.
The odds would suggest that the points will end up heading back to the Midlands but if you do fancy a flutter on the game you can get a helping hand with this Betfred promo code. It may mean that you retain some interest in the match even when things aren’t going our way!
Still, stranger things have happened.
Howay the lads!
Date: Saturday, 21st November, 2015
Time: 3pm
Venue: St James’ Park
Thanks Toonsy, let’s hope Vardy isn’t 100% fit for all our sakes cause I don’t see Janmaat or Colo dealing with him.
kimtoon(Quote)
KIM wasn’t Janmaat sent off the last time defending against Carry,two yellows was it?
We need to really turn it on any B/mouth show and we are done for
Nice one Toonsy
icedog(Quote)
VARDY,this bloody eye pad spells for its self
icedog(Quote)
Nothing to suggest we can get a deserved win. Of course we could get an undeserved win like we did at Stoke.
I’m surprised at Stuart changing his stance. Normally you base your views on history.
Don’t fall in the trap of the dreamers like so many on here. 😉
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Ice, Yeah Janmaat got two yellows and walked mate, he owes us a good game tomorrow. We lost Willo to a red too that game didn’t we.
kimtoon(Quote)
Or was it Colo? what ever we lost two to reds
kimtoon(Quote)
I would like to see us put in a good performance like we have on occasions but get a result from it. All the same I’d take a scrappy win too 😉
kimtoon(Quote)
Awinidbegud.
Brisvegas(Quote)
It looks like the two week break has allowed fantasy to creep in the minds of some.
Leicester are bang in form. We are languishing at the bottom of the table.
We look very very poor in my opinion. We have a soft underbelly running right through the entire squad.
No leaders. Leicester must have a few.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
How’s Begas?
Troy Stavers(Quote)
KIM@6 it was Willo mate that’s the game Carver said he was sent off on purpose
icedog(Quote)
if vardy dos play give him a few kicks they will prob take him off 😉
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
time for mr tiote to earn his wages 😆
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
TAE
I agree about tiote. He is one of those players that on his day can transform the game by showing steel. The problem with the toon is, we don’t have enough tough players who inspire those around them to get stuck in.
Average players with a core of grit can beat a team of prima Donnas with more talent.
We could transform our squad with a few big personalities. The trouble is, the transfer policy is all about getting young prodigy’s in.
Not that we’ve done well on that front either.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
TAY that’s evil mate shame on you 😆
But I agree 100% 😛
icedog(Quote)
Troy we are going to win every game from now till the end of the season. NOT
Terry(Quote)
TAE
icedog(Quote)
I have a wierd positive feeling about this one. I think the international break will have come at the wrong time for them. I also think they will be confident and have a go, and we are ten times better with space to exploit than we are trying to break a team down. Of course I could be wrong and we could get smashed.
DJG(Quote)
Ice@11, yep that’s the one, poor Willo, doing alright now he’s out the PL.
kimtoon(Quote)
Need something from the next two cause it’s Pool and Spuds after.
kimtoon(Quote)
TROY STAVERS 14
ya spot on there bud ;-
ICEDOG 15
😆 😆 😆
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
1 thigs im sure on though is vardy cant be allowed to run at collo with we want points from the game 😉
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
we take care of vardy i think we can win the game meself 😉
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
Can’t see any of the bottom three winning. Bournemouth might get a point away at Swansea. So a win could put us above Norwich in 16th with 4 or 5pt gap to the bottom 3. That would ease fears a lot.
Premandup(Quote)
He didn’t score but Benny played another stormer for Nice beating Lyon three nowt last night,wish our new French kid would come good
icedog(Quote)
The noises are already starting about who we will be selling in January… Perez is the name McClaren has been talking about. He just blathers on about him having potential, being loved here, playing every week here. Why not just say – HE’S NOT FOR SALE! Not a chance because he is, like every other player. We’ve seen it all before…
Stuart79(Quote)
STUART aye mate true maybe he’s saying those things to the lad himself hoping he will reject a move as he knows how jabba works when big profits pass before his eyes
icedog(Quote)
Managers all come in and say players have a clean slate. Why??? If I was a new manager, the first thing I would do whilst the players are on their Hols is to watch every minute of last year’s games. They have an Audio/Video room so him and his coaches could break the games down, or he could take DVDs home.
He would have seen Perez play in 36 of our 38 games last season. He also would not have to waste any time on Obertan and Gouffran at Perez’s expense who he said he had not seen a lot of. And Willo would have been gone before now.
Anyway, it is water under the bridge and it seems McClaren knows his team now. I think it will be same starters and same subs as last week.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Don’t think we’ll sell anyone in Jan. Ashley has his eye firmly on the ball. Extra £ms from TV next season.
georgio(Quote)
It will be the return of Danny Simpson today as well. He left on a free which was a bit of a surprise since we still don’t have any right back cover – or were they relying on Cholo’s buddy Tavernier?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
we must avoid defeat at all costs today, and start to build some momentum…
Clash of 2 strikers, at the moment Mitrovic isn’t fit to lace Vardy’s shoelaces. 🙁
Munich Mag(Quote)
I always thought Simpson backed off too much. Would like to see Sissoko or Wini running at him meself. 😛
DJG(Quote)
DJG. I agree that Simpson used to back off too much and allow the other side to get crosses into the box. I was never a great admirer but at the moment I would take him as a defender over Janmaat. Hope I am proved hopelessly wrong in my view by Janmaat today.
Grocho(Quote)