After Saturday’s dismal display at Sheffield Wednesday, the Magpies will be looking to get back to winning ways as we welcome Gary Monk’s Leeds United to St. James’ Park tonight.
Saturday’s game at Hillsborough was a setback, not only halting our push for promotion but seeing us fall two points behind Brighton in the race for the Championship title.
Tonight’s game therefore provides the ideal setting to put things right, with a packed out crowd, ferocious atmosphere and a feisty encounter offering the sort of occasion our players and fans alike should thrive on.
Leeds will be looking to strengthen their grip on a play off place and will fancy taking something away from SJP given Newcastle’s shaky home form. Rafa will no doubt be wary of Leeds target man Chris Wood, who is a real handful up front and the top scorer in the division with 24 goals.
Team news
Dwight Gayle will miss out following a reoccurrence of his hamstring problems in Saturday’s game at Hillsborough, opening the door for Daryl Murphy and Aleksandar Mitrovic who will be pushing for a start tonight in his absence.
DeAndre Yedlin has an outside chance of making a timely return to the side, with the American back in contention after several weeks out with a thigh problem. Ciaran Clark has also been deemed ‘very, very close’ to making his comeback but tonight’s game will come too soon for the Irishman.
The fitness of Jack Colback (Virus) and Isaac Hayden (Ankle) continues to be monitored, with the midfield duo missing the last two matches.
For the visitors, Liam Bridcutt and Hadi Sacko are in contention to make a return to the Leeds side. Bridcutt (Achilles) missed last week’s home win over Preston, while Sacko’s ankle problems have seen him miss their last two games.
Leeds will be without centre-back, Liam Cooper, who will serve the third game of his six-match ban tonight.
Predicted line-ups
Newcastle United – (4-2-3-1) – Darlow – Anita, Lascelles, Hanley, Dummett – Shelvey, Diame – Ritchie, Perez, Gouffran – Mitrovic.
Leeds United – (4-2-3-1) – Green – Ayling, Bartley, Jansson, Beradi – Birdcutt, Vieira – Roofe, Hernandez, Alfonso – Wood
TWO changes from Sheffield Wednesday?
Mbemba OUT Hanley IN: Mbemba really struggled in Saturday’s defeat to Sheffield Wednesday. He was caught out on several occasions and looked off the pace. Newcastle will be dealing with the leagues top scorer tonight in Chris Wood, who is not only a physical presence but a mean finisher. I expect Rafa to recall the sturdy, no nonsense Grant Hanley for this one in an attempt to shore up the Magpies back line.
Gayle OUT Mitrovic IN: Gayle looks set for a spell on the sidelines, leaving Murphy and Mitrovic vying for a place in the side. While Murphy has often been Benitez’s more trusted option, I believe Mitrovic will get the nod tonight. He has earned his chance after making a big impact on the game when brought on against Sheffield Wednesday and I expect Murphy to start against his former club, Ipswich, on Monday.
Match prediction
Really tough one to call with so much at stake. Leeds were comfortable winners in their last game at home to Preston but have also lost their previous two away games. Newcastle have proved erratic at home this season but with the pressure on, I fancy them to sneak through.
2-1 Newcastle
Howay the lads!
going for a 1-1 draw tonight. can see a nervy game against a decent Leeds team.
Would like to see us go for it but the seasons tried and tested “take control and set the tempo” is more likely how itll pan out.
Gashley(Quote)
With our home form, a draw looks the most likely outcome for me. 1-1 as Gashley said with Mitro grabbing our goal. Fancy Brighton to beat Wolves today too so will probably put paid to our title hopes.
Andy The Magpie(Quote)
can see us losing this one Olly tbh, gonna struggle without gayle . Brighton won’t win all their remaining games and they may find Wolves tougher than they think .
kimtoon(Quote)
Mbemba did struggle but Lascelles was the poorer of the two. As for pace I think you will find Hanley has none. Nevertheless I think you may have got the selection spot on. Just praying for a win tonight.
Groucho(Quote)
Huddersfield won’t of played that game in hand until the Tuesday before the last game of the season.
kimtoon(Quote)
Hudders 1.0 down
kimtoon(Quote)
spoke too soon 1.1 now
kimtoon(Quote)
Come on Preston, 2-2 now. Hopefully we can play with a bit more freedom if Huddersfield drop points.
We should really be beating Leeds. They may be 5th in the table, but their results have outpaced the quality of their play by a bit. Still, it doesn’t always work out, as we saw in both our games against Blackburn this year.
Charlie Prince(Quote)
hudders get a pen in the 93rd min ffs
kimtoon(Quote)
What a kick in the teeth!
Stuart79(Quote)
FFS, they miss the pen and still score 👿
Gonna be one of those days
kimtoon(Quote)
A penalty and nobody saw the offence if there was one.
Groucho(Quote)
Well we better bloody win today that’s all I can say, enough of this shithousery.
kimtoon(Quote)
That’s actually pissed me right off to be honest.
Stuart79(Quote)
Me too mate
kimtoon(Quote)
Got the Brighton game on now.
That result will be a right shot in the arm to Huddersfield players, what with the game in hand too.
kimtoon(Quote)
Any sort of favourable result today will calm a few nerves. I still think it will be a score draw because Leeds have a lot to play for. We are due a decent performance as our players are not as **** as their recent form.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Must be strange being a Norwich fan this week.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
That’s Brighton 1 up thanks to the player of the season.
kimtoon(Quote)
You just know with them two winning today we’ll lose, we NEVER seem to make life easy.
kimtoon(Quote)
Well that’s that then, fair play Brighton, it helps when your star player is fit all season.
0.2
kimtoon(Quote)
we just need to keep winning 😀
Gashley(Quote)
ffs, do I not like that
kimtoon(Quote)
Wake the **** up lads ffs, do you want up or not
kimtoon(Quote)
is it just me on here then?
Bloody hell this blog is dying on it’s ****
kimtoon(Quote)
So I was on the wrong thread then… ?
Dubai Toon(Quote)
can’t watch, but keeping an eye on the score.
funrafa(Quote)
Don’t know how we are not in front, not doing my nerves any good at all this.
kimtoon(Quote)
No link to this posted then ?
kimtoon(Quote)
Unlucky not to be in front. Battered them in the last 10 mins of the 1st half. Need to keep the pressure on right from kick off to gain a foothold. Mbemba has been very good so far.
SRF(Quote)
No Kim, no link… never mind, found out soon enough… ?
Let’s hope we get some luck in the second half.. been canny first half but we need to make the chances count, especially with both Huddersfield and Brighton winning…
Dubai Toon(Quote)
How many chances are we going to miss …. I hope we don’t regret this
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Should’ve been a pen and a red!
SRF(Quote)
Goaaaalllllll
Andy Magpie(Quote)
Yes, get in there!
SRF(Quote)
Gooooaaaaaaaaaalllllll get in… finally
Dubai Toon(Quote)
TFFT
wouldn’t of been surprised to see it not given
kimtoon(Quote)
oh yes!!!!
funrafa(Quote)
5 mins 😯 where the **** has that come from
kimtoon(Quote)
Oh Jesus.
Andy Magpie(Quote)
****….. ?????????
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Well no chance of winning the league now then… where did our defenders go? And where did 5mins of extra time come from?. ????
Dubai Toon(Quote)
totally gutted. played really well for most of the game then switched off in the last minute!
where did 5 mins come from? that was 3 pts in the bag but for 1 lapse!!
totally pi**ed off.. said 1-1 but we deserved the victory tonight
Gashley(Quote)
Fecking 5 mins, 5 mins twatting officials done for us again 👿
Awful defending by us for their goal, Gayle would of gotten a couple today for sure.
Didn’t deserve to drop 2 points
kimtoon(Quote)
So frustrating! Robbed of 2 points
SRF(Quote)
think it’s definitely Hoots title now they have won 4 on the bounce and have previously won 6 in a row so, we just have to hope we can go up in 2nd.
kimtoon(Quote)
Brightons last 4 games Wigan,Norwich, Bristol City, Villa
Toons last 4 games Ipswich, Preston, Cardiff, Barnsley
Huddersfield last 5 games Derby, Fulham, Wolves, B,ham , Cardiff
kimtoon(Quote)
Hudders beat 3 of the 5 they face previously
Brighton beat 3 and drew 1 of the 4 they play previously
Toon beat all 4 of the teams we face previously
kimtoon(Quote)
i bet Lascelles is devastated. got the goal, looked solid all night then drifted out of position. there was a few errors that lead to their goal but to lose your man in that manor was careless
Gashley(Quote)
Well, we are going up and Hughton is joining us. It is the best case scenario really.
Would have preferred we won the league too but can’t win them all. Just glad people have been proven wrong with the whole “We’ll walk this division” stuff.
funkyjesus(Quote)
If we got strengthened in the winter window, we would have walked the division …
funrafa(Quote)
I doubt that. The mentality of this club is still weak. We still crumble at any sign of adversity. It is why we tend to win the big games and loss / draw the “lesser games” season.
We expect to walk it and when the smaller clubs put up an effort then we can’t deal with it. The bigger games when teams try us then we expect it and play normally.
Rafa has improved us but you can’t fix a decade of being a team of puss bags in a tenth of the time.
I’m glad Hughton has reminded some name power alone doesn’t do it and if we can’t “walk” this division then next year is going to be a long grind.
I hope fans remember that when we’re likely bottom 3 near Christmas and the inevitable “Rafa out” ***** starts from the plebs.
funkyjesus(Quote)
Another kick in the teeth
Stuart79(Quote)
Gutted about that match last night… totally gutted… denied a penalty and the extra 5 mins from the refs magic bag… plus our defence decided they were going home early. Really pissed off after a good game up to that point… oh well a point is a point…
Let’s hope Stevie T will give us some pens against Ipswich.
Dubai Toon(Quote)
well i must say, this blog has really nose dived in the last year. a huge game like the one yesterday and a handful of posters 😯
cant put my finger on it whats happened, maybe too many FB fan sites popping up etc but its not the place it once was. I use to visit this site first, as soon as i opened my browser.
Gashley(Quote)
Was at the game. Great atmosphere. Best I’ve seen us play at home for some time. Hayden was terrific straight from the off. What a comparison with Colback (are you reading Ice?) Anita was back to his best too. Took the ball off a Leeds player and made a great pass all in one movement. Contrast this with Dummett or Lascelles who have to stop play while they decide what to do. Still shouldn’t criticise too much because everybody put in a shift. Don’t know where the ref got 5 minutes from at the end. Six subs and a goal should have been 4 minutes. On the other hand it should have been more than a minute extra at half time because of injuries holding up play. I think I must be suffering from paranoia or something because I am beginning to think that their is a ref’s conspiracy to allow our opponents free rein to do as they please whilst giving us nothing. Leeds got away with murder last night including many instances of controlling the ball by hand.
Groucho(Quote)
There not their. Predictive text. Glad Rafa stuck with Mbemba because apart from the odd moment he had a very good game.
Groucho(Quote)
New thread folks:
https://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2017/04/15/newcastle-1-1-leeds-dominant-display-ends-in-devastating-draw/
Post-match thoughts and player ratings from last night’s game – a real sickener but positives to be had!
Olly Hawkins(Quote)
Stand out players last night Hayden, Ritchie, Mitro ( I know he didn’t score but got the assist and his link up play was very good, plus he was yet again targeted all game long ) Anita and got forward really well I thought oh and Rob Green for leeds had a blinder.
We have to stay switched on for the duration of games, to leave so much space in our pen box so late in the game is unforgivable, it really is. I think Colback coming on was a mistake but I appreciate Hayden was out on his feet as was Ritchie so Rafa had little choice, but within minutes he’d got a yellow and frankly the guy now looks a liability. He will be only too aware how many fans feel about him and it could well effect his confidence even more which in itself is another worry.
Always Knew this league would be hellish to get out of, it’s a different animal to the last time we were in it. Teams are stronger with good managers and badly let down by poor officiating most games. Yesterday Huddersfield got a very dubious penalty late on and we were denied a stone waller in our game yet again. We need to win well on Monday because I am **** sure Huddersfield will beat Derby who’s season is effectively over now there is no play off place likely. Brighton face a poor Wigan and know the win sends them up, a chance too good to pass up in front of their home fans.
I’m still fuming about that stupid lapse in concentration yesterday tbh and we were 20 seconds away from all three points and keeping the pressure on Huddersfield .
kimtoon(Quote)