Newcastle United go into todays game, away at Norwich City, having re-established themselves at the top of the Championship, in recent weeks, when it looked as though Brighton may be set to extend their lead.
However, they are not the only one of the two sides in good form. Norwich have returned to form themselves, following what turned out to be a prolonged dip.
Norwich, like Newcastle, will still harbour hopes of being promoted. Although, unlike Newcastle, their best chance of going up seems to be through the play-offs.
The hosts also boast a very impressive squad, that includes the likes of Cameron Jerome and Jonny Howson.
With this all considered, Newcastle should still be made favourites for the game. We are winning games again and a return to our best seems to be just around the corner.
Against Wolves, we may have struggled for large periods of the game, but we did enough to get through it and in the process, some players really impressed.
For example, Aleksandar Mitrovic, he was more involved than anyone against Wolves, and although not all of it was positive, he got the winning goal.
So, just what team would we expect to see today?
For me, the best way for us to line up tonight would be;
GK: Karl Darlow
RB: DeAndre Yedlin
CB: Jamaal Lascelles (c)
CB: Ciaran Clark
LB: Paul Dummett
CM: Isaac Hayden
CM: Jonjo Shelvey
RW: Matt Ritchie
CAM: Mo Diame
LW: Christian Atsu
ST: Aleksandar Mitrovic
The reason for the inclusion of Mitrovic, over Dwight Gayle, who is reported to be returning, is that he is sharp and should be full of confidence after his goal against Wolves. Gayle meanwhile, has just returned and another injury to him could prove very costly indeed.
both sides have good chances. The team who can grab the opportunities will win.
funrafa(Quote)
I think we’ll need Gayle in the second half.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Villa 2 down now
kimtoon(Quote)
knocking on the door…
Fans Should Own the Club(Quote)
It’s frustrating as we could of been 0.3 up before they levelled. Once again we fluff chances and it’s cost us. May need Gayle 2nd half.
kimtoon(Quote)
Villa get 1 back
kimtoon(Quote)
If you don’t take your chances then I suppose you pay for it. Story of the last 6 weeks for us.
Stuart79(Quote)
Rafa wasn’t saying we needed strengthening in January for nothing. We needed a couple of good players to finish this out.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Big team talk for Rafa now .
kimtoon(Quote)
I still think there’s something there for us in this game. Need to cut out the silly mistakes though, Lascelles needs to learn when to clear it. Darlow and Lascelles, still young and will make the odd mistake.
DJG(Quote)
Thanks so much… thanks too to Geordie 2… ??
Just hoping we can win this… the last game against Norwich was very nervy and close too… listened to that one from a restaurant in Italy… ?
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Colback has been poor again by sounds of it and Lascelles at fault for the first, apparently beaten to the ball again.
Not gonna go on about Darlow, every keeper makes a few howlers here and there and this is one of his.
kimtoon(Quote)
Yes we have been a little bit unlucky so far in this game. But it is quite a open game and we still have 45 minutes to change the result. We can survive but I think Rafa should strengthen our defence first.
funrafa(Quote)
Defence will be crucial in the Prem. Got to strengthen there and up front. I just don’t have confidence we’re strong enough at either end of the pitch.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Jerome still manages to knock a few in which surprises me. I always thought he was hopeless in the Prem. 😯
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Diame in for Colback. Good sub. Should help. But where is Gayle?
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Gayle for Mitro or Perez?
Fans Should Own the Club(Quote)
I’d put Gayle with Mitro. Keep the size up front.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Worrisome that we can’t even get 20 minutes from Gayle by the look of it.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
hudders 2.1 down now
kimtoon(Quote)
Norwich sound ****. We’ve handed this game to them on a plate. Now we can’t finish 😳
Gashley(Quote)
Having problems with the site tonight. Have to keep reloading…
Mitro having a bad match again … not surprised he’s off. Cmon Gayle lad
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Rotherham beating Huddersfield…
Fans Should Own the Club(Quote)
Reading pegged back now 1.1
kimtoon(Quote)
Anyone planning on watching PSG v. Barcelona on delay? Don’t want to pop a spoiler here…
Fans Should Own the Club(Quote)
Shows what I know. Gayle on for Mitro… 😆 😆
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Oof–Rotherham 2, Huddersfield 2
Fans Should Own the Club(Quote)
Gettinnnnnn
Gashley(Quote)
get innnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
Lascelles
kimtoon(Quote)
YEEEEEEEEEEAHHHHHHHH! 2-2
Fans Should Own the Club(Quote)
Excellent goal by Lascelles
Gashley(Quote)
Yessssssssssssss lascelles. 2-2
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Game on
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Laschelles really reminds me of Ramos at RM.
funrafa(Quote)
Reading losing
Gashley(Quote)
G’wan, Dwight, get back in the flow…
Fans Should Own the Club(Quote)
Well done Lascelles!
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Come on let’s get another. Results going for us and I had £25 on a NUFC win at HT
Stuart79(Quote)
miss yet another chance
kimtoon(Quote)
4 mins
Gashley(Quote)
Huddersfield winning
Gashley(Quote)
bollocks Hudders winning
kimtoon(Quote)
Reading drawing
Gashley(Quote)
Reading winning
kimtoon(Quote)
Bloody Huddersfield! Always had them down as a win tonight and a draw will do for us in this game. By the time we play Huddersfield their form will have dipped too – they can’t continue winning.
Stuart79(Quote)
Drawing
Gashley(Quote)
**** off Ruddy
kimtoon(Quote)
You said that about Sunderland last season 🙂
Gashley(Quote)
yep my bad
kimtoon(Quote)
**** reading are winning
Gashley(Quote)
Gashley – Sunderland at no point won 6 league games on the bounce. Reading have and therefore the law of averages says they will drop points sooner rather than later.
Stuart79(Quote)
Lol u were right
Gashley(Quote)
I’ll take that. Sounds like a cracking match. Still top.
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Huddersfield and reading right behind us now…
Gashley(Quote)
I’d have definitely have taken 7 points from the last 3 games. But more to the point imo, we looked like our old self going forward tonight. Add Gayle to that and we will be ok from now on I reckon.
Stuart79(Quote)
Gashley – if by “right behind us” you mean 5&6 points behind us (really 6/7 with DG) respectively then yeah, but I think you’d be in a minority who defines it like that.
Stuart79(Quote)
I’ll take it too. If Gayle is fully recovered, I feel optimistic on the following games.
funrafa(Quote)
Villa and Bristol City at home next. I like our chances to get 6 points from those two.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Huddersfield are looking good again. 5 points is nothing but as you say with Gayle playing again, we should kick on ourselves now
Gashley(Quote)
Oh and Reading and Huddersfield play each other in their next game so they can’t both win… We also play on Monday night too before them so lead could well be bigger and things will definitely look brighter this time next week if we beat Villa.
Stuart79(Quote)
I think tonight showed we deserve to go up . Norwich had been on a good run but we played them off the park. Don’t expect a Darlow slip up again like that.
Groucho(Quote)
15games to go… a few twists and turns but I’m confident…
Gashley(Quote)
cracking 2nd half done well to get back to 2-2 after gifting 2 easy goals.
Mitro **** poor finishing. At this level I worry about his ability.
In fact ****** it….. sell the useless tw@t
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Then while we play Bristol City at home, Reading play Barnsley away but more importantly Reading play Brighton at Brighton.
Next few fixtures are definitely in our favour.
Stuart79(Quote)
We absolutely battered Norwich tonight – whilst at the same time gifting them 2 goals.
I think overall we played really well & only 2 individual mistakes let us down – but it was good to see that never say die attitude and get the equaliser late on – and never win it late on again
Sharpy17(Quote)
Wouldn’t mind a fishcake samwitch like, wi brood saahs.
Rodzilla(Quote)
So Huddersfield have 5 wins on the bounce. In that time we’ve taken four wins and two draws so have Dropped a single point to them. I don’t see a problem yet.
It remains to be seen if they can keep it going but if they do then let’s face it they deserve to be promoted.
The media keep talking about other teams performances .. Good stops starting mischief about us
Keep not losing and were OK.
GlosMag(Quote)
Rodzilla **** me are you back on here after the pop again like? 😆
Well fortune has favoured us in recent weeks, locally I’ve had to tip my hat to Cardiff fans for them taking points off both Leeds and Derby now. We’ve had a bit of a stutter and bad luck yesterday but I’d have taken a draw before kick off. I’m just still not sure about how we’re best lining up, is Mitro good enough to start? Gayle and Perez just don’t seem to compliment each other, and Perez doesn’t seem great off the bench either 😐
Top finish from Lascelles though! Still think Mbemba needs to play alongside him..
Newkie(Quote)
Wouldn’t expect Mbemba to be bowled over like Lascelles was.
Groucho(Quote)
Aye, Lascelles himself isn’t perfect like, but he’s come on quite a lot and for his age he does impress me with his attitude. Ciaran Clark, while not exactly ancient, has never really been anything other than a very average to poor PL player, granted Villa have been a circus whilst he was there. Is he really going to come on in the next few years and blow us away? Personally I thought Mbemba was one of the few players who weren’t total pish last year, he could be rash but Colo and Taylor were exactly the same and he at least had time and apparently the attitude to learn. Just don’t feel he’s been given a fair crack this year, especially given none of our keepers are exactly a safe pair of hands…
Newkie(Quote)
Newkie – I’m an even bigger fan of Mbemba. I’d have him in instead of ‘dwelling on the ball’ Lascelles, who despite the talk, is full of errors. He never seems to be around when we concede in the 6 yard box either. He’s fine when the balls in front of him and a nightmare when anybody (even average anybody) runs at him. I also think Mbemba would be a much better foil for Shelvey as a DM.
Decent point last night but I’m rapidly losing faith in Mitro. There’s consistently too many missed chances now. He’s slow, verging on lumbering and despite his size he can’t bloody jump. Used to be a fan too.
So . . . another tale of missed chances and bad errors at the back.
georgio(Quote)
Where’s Psych’s?
Clarky rewarded for his sterling work in Scotland to land a plum job in England.
Next step a Championship club which I always said he would get.
Mark or mock my words ?
Troy Stavers(Quote)
So Sels says he will look at what will happen in the summer maybe a loan to another club,I think he wants to look at another club as he will find very hard to break into the first team,wonder which scout put Rafa on to him he wants to buck his ideas up,wonder if it was another great choice from Carr??
Icedog(Quote)
Ice, I do think Sels looks like a Carr find mate, but you never know.
kimtoon(Quote)
A bit bloody pricey as well mate imo for what he’s shown up to now,there’s no way he will ever cope with crosses in the English lge
Icedog(Quote)