Newcastle face another top of the table clash this Saturday with a trip to South Yorkshire to face a Huddersfield side who are making an unlikely tilt for promotion to the Premier League.
Terriers head coach David Wagner is a passionate man and his spat with Leeds United manager Garry Monk last month is testament to that, however, that resulted in the German being handed a two-match touchline ban meaning he will be absent from the dugout for the Magpies visit on Saturday.
However, that hasn’t stopped him from warning Newcastle that they are coming to a fortress and face an atmosphere to rival any away day they have previously faced this season.
Wagner spoke after his side lost to Manchester City in the FA Cup and had this to say to reporters: –
“I have no question that the supporters will create an atmosphere that will be the best we have ever seen at the John Smith’s stadium and this is exactly what we need to play against a top of the table Newcastle United.”
Huddersfield have been defying the odds this season and sit third in the Championship just eight points behind Rafael Benítez’s side and pose a very real threat to the Magpies’ title charge.
Most football betting predictions will swing towards a Newcastle away win as they have had the extra day’s rest, despite Wagner making it clear that the John Smiths stadium will be an intimidating experience.
Current form suggests this will be a close game with Huddersfield unbeaten in their last seven league games, whilst Newcastle have gone nine games without suffering a loss. Expert tipsters like https://footballpredictions.com/ predict a 2-2 draw in this game between two evenly matched teams.
Newcastle are also heavily buoyed by their late win over title rivals Brighton and Hove Albion on Tuesday night and will be eager to end another potential challenger’s assault on their desired throne.
Goals have also been the Magpies’ forte whereas Huddersfield have been less prolific in putting the ball in the back of the net.
Newcastle have 22 more goals this season than their weekend rivals and that could be the deciding factor, with the hosts also holding a far inferior defensive record against their counterparts.
All of this should make for great action with Newcastle’s natural ability to smother a team. Dwight Gayle may even return to the side after injury has been a burden over the last few weeks.
Despite missing the last few weeks, Gayle still sits joint top of the scoring charts in the division with Leeds’s Chris Wood on 20 goals.
Gouffran played as a makeshift striker against Brighton on Tuesday night but Gayle’s impeding return will be a major boost for all involved with the Magpies.
By contrast, Huddersfield’s main striking threat has come from German Elias Kachunga, who has half the amount of goals as Gayle this season.
There can be no doubt that the John Smiths will be rocking in front of the sky cameras on Saturday evening in a tie that the whole of football will have an eager eye on.
Newcastle will head into the game as favourites but expect David Wagner to still make his presence felt from the stands and do his utmost to upset the apple cart.
Anyone know if it was the hamstring leg boot he changed ?
kimtoon(Quote)
Nice goal from Townsend for Palace yesterday. And to think Pards didn’t wanna give him game time. 😳
kimtoon(Quote)
would it work well? has he ever played defensive midfield? running around everywhere breaking up play? think id rather just put Anita back in there
Gashley(Quote)
Played there a few times for Congo. I’d give him a go over Colback any day. He’s good at right back too.
georgio(Quote)
Yes at ACON mate and quite well too apparently
kimtoon(Quote)
hmmm interesting. not sure about the pace of ACON’s but i bet its not as frantic as the Championship. Anita is tried and tested. does a decent job.
I though Colback broke play up well but does look a liability at times. reckon hell be gone in the summer to another championship team
Gashley(Quote)
Lol, reading Hudders’ fans ‘blogs; some of them just seem in total blind denial that ‘the better team lost’. It seems that this if the best side they have had, almost in living memory. Although many are on loan until the end of the season. It’s true that they play some decent football and they even said before the game that they will just 100% focus on themselves and their game! Did they not think this would play right into Rafa’s hands? They had like 75% of the possession and played in our third and the centre-third, but aside from two or three good palms away (from distance) by Karl Darlow, how many real chances did they create? I’m struggling to think of any. It’s like when we have tried to just play the better football in the past and some team like Stoke City have just mugged us! Bless them, they really have a lot to learn.
Best defence in the league, top scorers in the league, top goal difference, 13 away wins, yet they reckon they’re the best team in the league. I would say the stats prove otherwise. Get some cheese and crackers to go with your sour grapes. 🙂
DJG(Quote)
If they don’t catch Brighton (I hope they do), or win the play-offs lottery, then they will probably disappear into mid table championship obscurityagain next season, as Mooy will go back to Man City etc. Football is cruel like that.
DJG(Quote)
There’s talk we are after that Harry Maguire from Hull for £12m.
He’d be a holding midfielder for me. I know he plays CB for Hull but he’s really comfortable on the ball and I reckon he could be to us what Eric Dier does at Spurs.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Don’t know much about him but the sooner we can get promotion confirmed the easier it is for the club to concentrate on the transfer window as a team the moment we don’t really know where we are playing.
Stuart79(Quote)
Mackems 2-0 down with 30 mins still to play and the “fans” are leaving already… ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha …. ha ha ha ha ha
Dubai Toon(Quote)
thats nasty mate,but i love it 😆 😆
icedog(Quote)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39172314
wow, just wow, what is this guy on.
kimtoon(Quote)
Kim – anyone going out to Russia for that WC are either off their heads or as big a hooligan as those mad gets!!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Banter aside, it’s kind of disappointing that the bottom 3 in the PL are all north east(ish) clubs. Especially when the region is a hotbed of football and doesn’t really have the influences of cricket and rugby (aside from Rugby league in Hull) to compete with. Our nearest game next season might be Burnley. Unless Leeds are promoted.
DJG(Quote)
Sad fact is mate that mega rich folk want to buy London clubs or the likes of Pool or the manc clubs. The money isn’t there to fund big name players capable of keeping these clubs up. Likewise getting top top players to play outside London and the champions league clubs is a thankless task unless you can sell the club as a, ahem, stepping stone.
kimtoon(Quote)
Wouldn’t get me there for all the tea in China mate, madness but many will go.
kimtoon(Quote)
We have a thread about this very topic going up tomorrow!
Andy The Magpie(Quote)
Us, Huddersfield and Leeds from Play offs to go up. That would be my choice anyway and two short trips for away fans. Sorry Chrissie!
georgio(Quote)
My prediction a couple of months ago was Mackems, Hull and Boro. I just couldn’t see Toad of Toad Hall taking that squad down. They were obviously underachieving under Arrogant Alan.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
How was the trip to Madrid Eric?
georgio(Quote)
poor Hoots luck is turning lost the last two now c/h Duffy out for six weeks,thats the luck of the draw old lad 😐
icedog(Quote)
https://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2017/03/06/i-really-hope-sunderland-stay-up-this-season-heres-why/
Bit of an off-topic thread today about the Tyne & Wear derby folks. Will have something up tomorrow for the Reading game tomorrow mind.
Andy The Magpie(Quote)