Kick off between Leicester City and Newcastle United is just under 45 minutes away with the Magpies in particular in desperate need of all three points. The starting line-ups for both sides have now been confirmed:
Leicester City XI:
Schmeichel,
Simpson
Huth
Morgan
Fuchs
Mahrez
Kante
Drinkwater
Albrighton
Okazaki
Vardy
Subs: Schwarzer, Wasilewski, Amartey, Inler, Gray, Schlupp, Ulloa
Newcastle United XI:
Elliot
Janmaat
Taylor
Lacelles
Colback
Shelvey
Anita
Perez
Sissoko
Wijnaldum
Mitrovic
Subs: Darlow, Sterry, Saivet, Townsend, De Jong, Riviere, Doumbia
What do you think of Rafa’s team selection on his maiden game in charge for Newcastle United? Have your say on this and all the action is it unfolds in the comments section below.
Fucking hell we’ve got Leicester playing for time here 🙄
Sharpy17(Quote)
This defeat is undeserved , but their is hope
AXEL(Quote)
gutted could of had a point if not for that wonder goal 🙁
Don’t think we deserved to be on the end of a defeat tonight, but we simply have to take our chances better.
Rafa, sorry mate your first game unbeaten records gone for a burton, welcome to the Toon.
kimtoon(Quote)
Although I would certainly think about dropping Sissoko as is final pass is so poor it’s beyond belief. I’d also find a place for De Jong because he’s comfortable on the ball and has the guile we need in the final third.
Stuart79(Quote)
Our luck HAS to change at some point, hopefully Rafa will be the manager to get the better of the Scum.
kimtoon(Quote)
We were the better team and they missed straightforward penalty.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
how the hell are we ever going to score a goal ❓
hopeless I’m afraid
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
I really can’t believe we are in the bottom 3 with these players.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Well we looked a lot better that’s for sure, but if we can’t score goals we aren’t staying up!!!.
I’m not sold on Mitrovic at all personally. Nothing more than a target man for me.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Everyone was expecting a tanking for us but it didn’t happen. If we play like that against Norwich and Sunderland we should have a good chance.
Stuart79(Quote)
We don’t get enough players in the box for me. Blaming Mitro is a bit pointless because 8/10 he’s in the box on his own. What chance does any striker have like that.
I’d certainly play De Jong though.
Stuart79(Quote)
Commentators say Leicester goal had an offside from Vardys foot and that Newcastle should have had a penalty from Sissokos strike. Ncl just never get the rub of the green all season ☹
Jill(Quote)
well im well pleased with our performance.
Big Dave(Quote)
”Shamrock
March 14, 2016 at 11:12 Edit
Good read SRF. I have no idea what Rafa will do today. He reckons organising the defense is the easiest thing to do in football – but he has not managed our lot before! If he can get a result today it will send shockwaves through the squad they will suddenly realise they are capable of playing football again. A heavy loss and I dread to think what it will do to us leading up to the Derby. Reckon he will simply make us compact and hard to break down, as a narrow loss is acceptable and does not damage the squads fragile mindset. Going for 1-0 Leicester orba draw if we bring our A game and show some passion for a change.”
Went as expected. There is hope, but we are seriously lacking quality in the final third.
Shamrock(Quote)
Well nothing has changed, we still need to beat the mackems and Norwich and two or three others. The players tried harder but the end product needs work and a bit of luck.
DJG(Quote)
Jill – their goal was offside Vardy for sure, but I’m not have that was a penalty for us like.
Yes it struck his elbow area but his arm was tight against his body.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Now that we have lost I want Leicester to go on and win the PL for Ranieri. Their fans were scum when I was there 30 years ago, but that was 30 years ago and I mustn’t hold a grudge.
Forest is still a bigger story but this is right up there if they do it.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Personally I’d like to see the team start 442. Usual back 4 then Sissoko, Shelvey, Wijnaldum and Townsend with De Jong and Doumbia up front.
Jill(Quote)
Need to beat Sunderland. Lose and we are done in the PL.
Shamrock(Quote)
I expected nothing out of tonight if I’m honest so I can’t say I’m hugely disappointed.
I think our performance did deserve a point, but I’m just pleased to see a change in the team.
It gives me hope for the games I did see points from.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Think Vardy was on side in the 2nd phase so goal was correct.
If we are to win games they’re going to need to be 1-0’s
Stuart79(Quote)
A draw would of been a fair result. Fell asleep a bit for their goal
Kept hold of the ball which was encouraging.
Need to score tho or we’re ****ed.
Thought 1-0, 1-1 so wasnt expecting a win, can see a draw v Sunderland?
Gashley(Quote)
Slow mo showed his arm come away from his body and move out and toward the ball!
Jill(Quote)
That was a penalty Sharpy mate. You have 2 commentators and 2 panelists over here on US TV all saying he leant into it and knew what he is doing.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Jill – I would 100% go with that.
I think Sissoko needs to be back on the right flank as well. He didn’t look comfortable out on the left today, despite his bluster.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Tough pen call like. I honestly wish Arma was here
Gashley(Quote)
Leicester are a one season wonder for me. Not buying at all that they’ll be top 4 next season. I’ll be happily proved wrong. Freak season, they will be top 7 though. The way they play is based on exhausting themselves, can’t keep that going forever. Good luck to them.
DJG(Quote)
Just saw a replay and that was a penalty, no doubt about it.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I thought it was a pen, we defo deserved a point tonight, gutted.
kimtoon(Quote)
Eric/Jill – yeah on the slow mo and replay it looks more like a pen to be fair.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Just watched it again in slow mo and most definitely a pen that like.
kimtoon(Quote)
He leans over to hit it with his elbow, he knew exactly what he was doing
kimtoon(Quote)
We were never going to get that pen. Should have been given but 50/50 decision like that will always go Leicester’s way now.
How big is the game on Sunday? I’m going to need to be completely bladdered to watch it. I don’t think my nerves will stand it sober.
Stuart79(Quote)
At least they showed some effort. That’s a change. You get the sense that Rafa is always thinking about influencing the game. That’s another change from the one dimensional guys we’ve had recently.
From now on it’s all about the games against the 5 around us. This one was all about how the players react to Rafa. The answer it seems is: positively.
Didn’t know what the (Quote) was about so clicked it to see what happened.
Brisvegas(Quote)
Even more gutted now, thought it was a pen during game time, now convinced
kimtoon(Quote)
Did it work bris?
Gashley(Quote)
Pisses me off Norwich got a draw here
We really do struggle for goals. Perez needs to start v Sunderland
Gashley(Quote)
Interesting that Carragher said he could see what they’d been working on in training already in defence.
But scoring goals is a problem but it’s also a problem for Sunderland and Norwich too.
Perspective is needed – we only need to do better than Sunderland and Norwich. They’re not world beaters!
Stuart79(Quote)
thing is, in Defoe and Borini Scum have guys who are more than capable of scoring.
kimtoon(Quote)
they seem confident
http://www.readytogo.net/smb/threads/start-borini-on-sunday.1211051/#post-22532469
kimtoon(Quote)
I’m sick and tired of all these so called pundits and Journo’s telling us how bad NUFC are, how tough a job Rafa has and how it will be a miracle if he keeps us up. Have I missed something? Are we 9 points from safety or something? Have Sunderland and Norwich all of a sudden become fantastic teams?
Honestly, sometimes I feel as though we are so far behind we are competing with Villa for bottom place!
Stuart79(Quote)
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2624707-twitter-reacts-leicester-defeat-benitezs-newcastle-1-0-to-move-5-points-clear
kimtoon(Quote)
Kimtoon: it is as clear as the nose on Phil Thompson’s face that that was a penalty.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
It’s all the fault of club insiders briefing the press 😆 😆
Brisvegas(Quote)
The worry is Sunderland can score goals Defoe, borini so can norwich, we are looking good upto last quarter, mitrovic holds it up well but no vardy or Defoe type player running in and finishing we are missing a clinical finisher, thats what they should of bought in January, this doumbia has to start off mitrovic and thought Anita was **** glad Rafa spotted that
Ozzietoon(Quote)
My team for Sunday is;
Elliot
Janmaat Taylor Lascelles Colback
Shelvey Gini
Townsend De Jong Perez
Mitrovic
Defence is assuming nobody else fit.
Reckon that’s a pretty strong midfield and attack.
Stuart79(Quote)
Was watching on the laptop whilst packing up and moving house so couldn’t pay enough attention.
Thought we were better after Townsend came on, he had a few nice dribbles, there were some nice little interactions around the edge of the box and……well, that was it.
We are seriously lacking something up front, if it’s not the personnel then it’s the confidence.
That Sissoko didn’t take a crack at that chance is criminal.
For me the pen shout seemed 50/50, not had chance to see it back properly in slow mo.
We were better in that we weren’t painfully turgid, but there needs to be a monumental improvement in every area of the field by next Sunday. If we lose the derby we have a big problem.
De Jong looked decent for a rusty man, he could do with some minutes. Possibly Gini and Townsend on the wings with Siem in the 10 role?
YouYew(Quote)
So we looked more solid as a unit but, individually, the mistakes are still there. We’re still going down despite Rafa’s best effort.
funkyjesus(Quote)
I thought Lascelles and Taylor did pretty well. The question now is will Colo get his place back let alone the captaincy?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
vardy was offside and we should of had a pen in my opinion
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
Eric Sykes
thought taylor was **** meself and if he backs off any more he will be in the stand behind the goal
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
I hope Gini gets to play in midfield again. He looked very good there instead of Anita. That’s playing where he always has McClaren! Bit disappointed to lose as they weren’t massively better than us. Even the defence looked decent and Lascelles is getting better every game.
We need goals though and De jong slowly getting match fit is not going to solve that!
Georgio(Quote)
Look at our fixtures from here on in, they’re mostly very winnable. With the squad we have and a proper manager, we should be able to beat the likes of Swans, Norwich, Villa and Sunderland. Palace are on a shocking run, Saints and Liverpool are inconsistent and Spurs are hopefully out of it by the last game…
Come on. It’s very doable now with a top manager.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
just watched the leicester winner, and to be honest how tf is a leicester player getting away with doing an overhead kick in our 6 yard box? our two central defenders should be blocking all these type of chances. lascelles is way too upright for a centre half, slow on the turn, slow feet, slow to react, all in all a poor defender.
the makkems and defoe will batter lascelles and staylor, two very average and immobile defenders. they will be our undoing in the derby game..
rafa can’t make a silk purse out of a sows ear..and fat sam will take advantage of our gung ho approach to pick us off on the break
Munich Mag(Quote)