Rafa’s men will be looking to bounce back from Friday’s late heartache against Leeds, facing Mick McCarthy’s Ipswich Town in the 3pm kick off at Portman Road today.
Friday’s frustrating draw against Leeds United was a bitter blow to our title hopes, seeing us fall 4 points behind table topping Brighton, however, above all else, today’s game provides an opportunity to extend our lead over 3rd place Huddersfield.
The Terriers’ 96th minute winner on Friday, combined with us conceding in the 95th minute later that night, saw Huddersfield gain 2 points on us over the weekend and with that, see our lead over Huddersfield reduced to 8 points.
Huddersfield may have a game in hand, but it must be said that our fate lies firmly within our own hands, with today’s game providing the ideal opportunity to move one step closer to confirming our return to the Premier League next season.
Today’s opponents, Ipswich, earned a crucial win at Burton on Friday night, handing Mick McCarthy’s men a timely win, giving them a comfortable 9 point gap between themselves and the drop zone.
In the United camp, the quick turn around of fixtures comes at an ideal team for a team itching to bounce back. With title hopes and a place in the Premier League all up for grabs, I fully expect another energetic and enthusiastic effort from the team, who’ll be gunning for 3 points to make up for Friday’s lapse.
The 3pm kick off will be streamed live in the bars within St. James’ Park, with the latest ‘beam-back’ looking set to be well attended yet again. Whilst there will be no promotion celebrations should we be victorious, it would pile the pressure of Huddersfield, who face a tough trip the Derby in the late kick off today.
The two clubs will also pay tribute to the great Sir Bobby Robson today. A man who did wonders for both clubs and remains in the hearts of all involved at Ipswich and Newcastle.
Team news
The game will come too soon for Ciaran Clark and Rolando Aarons, with Dwight Gayle also set to miss out following a reoccurrence of his hamstring injury against Sheffield Wednesday last week.
DeAndre Yedlin is now fully fit and will be looking to make his return to Rafa’s side.
Daryl Murphy will be hoping to make his return to the side, with the prospect of facing his ex-club.
Former United centre-back Steven Taylor (hamstring) will miss out for Ipswich, along with fellow defender Jonas Knudsen (shoulder).
Predicted line-ups
Newcastle United – (4-2-3-1) – Darlow – Yedlin, Lascelles, Mbemba, Dummett – Shelvey, Hayden – Ritchie, Diame, Gouffran – Murphy
Ipswich Town – (4-2-3-1) – Bialkowski – Spence, Chambers, Berra, Kenlock – Ward, Skuse – Lawrence, Smith, McGoldrick – Sears
FOUR changes from Leeds?
Anita OUT, Yedlin IN? The Dutchman was superb on Friday. It was his best performance of 2017, so this one would be for rotation purposes and by no means meaning Anita is to be ‘dropped’. Yedlin’s pace has been missed in the team and a return to the starting 11 could be a timely one today, giving Anita a much needed break, whilst providing the team with a greater attacking outlet to push us on towards 3 points.
Hayden OUT, Colback IN? Hayden’s return on Friday was a welcome one. He transformed our midfield. It was, however, his first start since February, with the 22 year-old missing a large chunk of action after ankle surgery. As much as I want him to remain in the side, I expect Rafa to rotate and play Colback, given Hayden will have had limited time to recover from his excursions on Friday night.
Perez OUT, Diame IN? The two often rotate and given Perez’s efforts against Leeds on Friday, I fully expect the rested Diame to return to the side in this one. Perez’s best performances may have came on the road for United this term, but I expect Rafa to opt for fresh legs and bring Diame back into the side today.
Mitrovic OUT, Murphy IN? Mitrovic was outstanding against Leeds. He put himself about, won his battles and brought others into the game very well. His performance fully deserves another shot in the side, however, with today’s game falling so soon after Mitrovic’s first league start in weeks (where he played the full 90 minutes), I expect Murphy to be given his chance. Being an ex-Ipswich player, the Irishman will also know the opposition as well as anyone, which could come in handy for Rafa and the team.
Match prediction
Whilst Ipswich will be boosted by their recent victory, Newcastle will be hoping that the Tractor Boys will be on their holiday’s after all but securing safety. Regardless of Ipswich, I fully expect the team to be bang up for this and ready to put right their devastating lapse on Friday night.
Their could be a few changes to freshen up the side after a tough game less than 72 hours ago, but I expect Newcastle to get back to winning ways today.
Prediction: Ipswich 0-2 Newcastle
Here’s hoping! Howay the lads!
Here’s another fun fact for you. Newcastle has played 22 players 5 times or more this season, using 33 players in total.
Brighton has also used 33 players in total, but has used 27 players 5 times or more.
So that’s the tinkering argument out of the window.
shamrock(Quote)
Get in Derbyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
kimtoon(Quote)
Get in, Derby!
Huddersfield have had only one bleeding shot all game so they don’t deserve to bloody win.
Ref blow your whistle, man!
Stuart79(Quote)
Get the **** in Derby 1_1
Gashley(Quote)
Deserve that 5mins???
Gashley(Quote)
Derby have played real well. Huddersfield looked pretty solid but that’s that. 1_1?
Gashley(Quote)
Was the 2nd half as bad as the 1st? I fell asleep at half time it was so boring.
We might be limping over the line but you still have to like our chances.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Well that’s Derby trying to help us out, it’s up to us now .
kimtoon(Quote)
Mark DouglasVerified account @MsiDouglas · 3m3 minutes ago
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If Huddersfield don’t beat Fulham, #nufc can effectively be up on Monday with a win. That’s how big that Derby goal was.
kimtoon(Quote)
jesus where have reading come from, 3rd now on 79
kimtoon(Quote)
We need six points to guarantee promotion. I personally think Reading will finish above Huddersfield and Reading could very well finish on 88 points as they have three easy games left. Maybe we only need one win in reality. Let’s get it on Monday as I don’t fancy Huddersfield to beat Fulham.
One thing Rafa will know is that some of the players don’t have the right mental aptitude or skill to be playing for NUFC in the PL.
Stuart79(Quote)
Well that has cheered me up. After the toons dreadful performance I thought I was losing the plot to endure derby v Huddersfield? 1 happy Easter bunny ☺
Gashley(Quote)
Well that’s Brighton promoted. Well done CH?
Gashley(Quote)
Well done to Brighton and Chris Hughton. Three years in the making.
What a brutal league!
Stuart79(Quote)
I felt physically sick until Derby scored!
I haven’t checked the blog lately but I dare bet the Clueless Crew have been slagging Rafa off and calling him *****.
Ycmiu
Troy Stavers(Quote)
I always rated Hoots. Unlike some.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Of course you haven’t read the comments 😛
Gashley(Quote)
Troy
Where you been fella?
If Hoots is that good, why’s it taken him three years to get one of the best squads / most investment / big nice new stadium, out of the championship? My granny could have won the league with that Nolan, Barton, Jonas, Colloccini, Harper, Carroll, Guthrie squad. 😛
DJG(Quote)
I really don’t think the majority of supporters realise how brutal and hard this league is. Brighton have spent a fortune over 3/4 years and have only just got up, Villa spent £80m this season and are mid table and the majority of relegated clubs don’t come straight back up.
Stuart79(Quote)
Troy predicts that people would be slagging off Rafa. How did your other predictions go then? We all know you have a 100% record of being wrong and yet call others “the clueless crew”. Let’s recap: You were Pardew’s biggest fan, who also thought Ugly John was a good choice and in all seriousness suggested Lee Clark as an interim manager. You also tried to take credit for suggesting Rafa as Manager when you had done so in passing once about 3 years before he was appointed. In the meantime, he had managed Real Madrid so he was pretty much out of our league until HE decided he wanted to manage again in England and took us on as a project.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Stuart: The Telegraph looked at the very thing you are saying at the end of the 2014 season. They went back 28 years because that is when the playoff system was introduced and found that only 23.5% of relegated teams returned to the PL at the first attempt.
I still think we will do it but that statistic doesn’t bode well for Boro and the Mackems. I can also see Hull or Swansea struggling as they are not traditionally big teams.
The Mackems are well and truly fcked with a ***** squad on high wages and 173 million of debt to a disinterested owner. Even the parachute payments won’t help and nobody would buy them – not even the Chinese.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Oh, I forgot to mention Miserable Dave. It seems that any talent he once possessed for football management has deserted him. He looks defeated before he even steps on the pitch and the worries of the world seem deeply etched on that ploughed field of a brow of his. The only other Manager I have seen who transmits such defeatism by his body language is Schteve. Leaning forward with your head in your hands does not exactly convey a good message to the players. Moyes has looked resigned to relegation since the first game.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric , their fans will be enjoying our ups and downs this easter, have to give the sad sods something to laugh at .
kimtoon(Quote)
We started the day needing 7 points to guarantee promotion, we’ve ended it needing 5. That’s progress…
Stuart79(Quote)
Eric
I think a lot of their fans don’t truly realise the gravity of their situation. Many seem to think they will get a new team of players and bounce back within a year or two. Who are they going to buy? They can’t afford to sack the manager even and their money for next season is basically whatever they can get for Pickford, and dare I say N’Dong, Kone and possibly one or two others. I think they are more likely to be fighting relegation personally but their fans seem to think it will be a laugh and they will enjoy winning some games. As Stuart79 said, this league is now brutal and not a good laugh like when they were previously a yo-yo club. There was never the pack of ‘parachute payment’ clubs like there is now. Yes we had to compete with West Brom, who were at the time a yo-yo club, but that was about it. People who say it’s a poor league, in some aspects it is but it’s also a bloody difficult long slog of a league and the standard of refereeing is terrible.
DJG(Quote)
Next season the refs get goal line technology in the championship I think
kimtoon(Quote)
DJG: I really can’t see how the Mackems will get out of their mess. Villa were sold for only 60 million so I doubt Ellis Short could even give the club away without cancelling their debt. They can’t have that big of a fanbase outside of Sunderland so merchandizing and TV wont amount to much. Also, can you really see them having a full ground in the second division? I do know that some of the players had relegation clauses but I bet not all of them, and I bet not Moyes. I also read that when N’Dong was transferred the board of Lorient laughed that Sunderland offered so much money for such an average player.
When you think about it the Mackems have been mismanaged on a monumental scale – probably the equal of Ashley’s NUFC. You have to applaud them for what they are doing with that young terminally ill lad but does that really balance their cover-up of the Adam Johnson saga. They really should have been deducted points for that which would have meant relegation. I mean, how can they have played Johnson when he had admitted his guilt to their Chief Executive. Then she resigns and they still have to pay her 800,000 pounds. How does that work 🙂 Can I have that job?
I have never been to Sunderland except to see a pantomime and that was at the Empire and not the SOL. I really don’t have anything against Mackems. I have met the odd one or two on my travels and the thing about them, to a man, is they have a massive inferiority complex about Newcastle. I sometimes think they would rather see NUFC lose than Sunderland win.
Mackem rant over. I wanted to take my mind off only getting 1 point over Easter 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Poor Pyschs hates the truth. ?
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Morning folks – new thread below!
https://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2017/04/18/ipswich-3-1-newcastle-dismal-display-sees-the-mags-deservedly-downed/
Post-match thoughts from yesterday’s shocker. Please give it a read and move all comments to that thread.
Cheers
Olly Hawkins(Quote)