A week after securing our Premier League status for another season, we now face a desperate Brighton side just three points clear of the drop zone.
Off-field matters will no doubt take centre-stage now we’re safe, but you’d like to think we can now play with the shackles off and enjoy our final three games of the season.
Chris Hughton’s side have been woeful of late. A 0-0 draw at Wolves followed by a narrow 1-0 defeat at Spurs has steadied the ship slightly, but they’ve failed to score in any of their last SEVEN games and have been far from solid at the Amex.
We’ve often been conservative this season, focusing on a clean sheet at one end and the nicking a goal at the other, however you’d hope we’d have a go here and try to get at Brighton from the off.
After all, Brighton arrive off the back of a 0-2 defeat to relegation rivals Cardiff and a 0-5 thumping at the hands of Bournemouth, so we should be looking to take full advantage of what could be a nervy Amex Stadium.
Predicted XI
With Lascelles (stomach illness) and Almiron (hamstring) ruled out, there’ll definitely be two changes.
Federico Fernandez will almost certainly come in for the injured Lascelles – and rightly so given how unfortunate he’s been to miss out on Rafa’s starting 11’s over the second half of the season.
With regards to Almiron’s replacement, I’d love to see Muto start, but Rafa has been talking up Christian Atsu recently, so I can see him coming in.
Diame MUST start two of our last three games if he’s to activate a new one-year extension, so he’ll be pushing for a start – as will both Shelvey and Yedlin.
Preferred NUFC XI – (3-4-2-1) – Dubravka – Schar, Fernandez, Dummett – Manquillo, Hayden, Ki, Ritchie – Perez, Muto – Rondon.
The Opposition
Here’s a few ‘ones to watch’ in Chris Hughton’s side:
Glenn Murray – He’s not actually played a great deal of late, but the striker is by far their biggest goal threat, scoring an impressive 11 goals in the Premier League this season. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s recalled for this one, with them in desperate need of a goal after 7 blanks in a row.
Shane Duffy – The 6ft 4′ centre-back wins just about everything in the air, so Salomon Rondon will have his hands full up against both him and fellow giant Lewis Dunk. It’s also worth noting that Duffy is their second top scorer on 5 goals, with him being a real threat from set pieces.
Anthony Knockaert – Back from a ban after seeing red for a stupid challenge in their 0-5 defeat to Bournemouth just a few weeks ago. It remains to be seen if Hughton will recall him, however’s he’s one of few players in this Brighton side who can produce a moment of magic from nothing – or a moment of madness!
Predicted Brighton XI – Ryan – Bruno, Duffy, Dunk, Bernado – Knockaert, Stephens, Bissouma, March – Gross – Murray.
Team news:
Jamaal Lascelles will miss out with a ‘stomach illness’, while Miguel Almiron has been ruled out for the season with a hamstring injury.
Both Florian Lejeune and SeanLongstaff will miss out once again, but the good news is that Fabian Schar and Isaac Hayden are expected to be fit despite limping off during last weekend’s win over Southampton.
Brighton winger Anthony Knockaert is back after completing a three-match suspension, but Dutch midfielder Davy Propper is out with a hamstring problem.
Prediction
This is a huge game for Brighton, so it all depends on (A) how they handle the occasions and B) what NUFC side turns up now survival has been officially secured.
Hughton’s free-falling side could freeze under the pressure – something they’ve done in their past two home games, losing by an aggregate score of 0-7 – or they may just rise to the occasion in what some Seagulls fans will see as a must win. They face Arsenal and City in their last two, while Cardiff playing Fulham tomorrow followed by Palace next weekend, so this is their big chance to get a monumental three points.
I can see them being pretty organised at the back and fear we may be a little one dimensional in attack now Almiron’s injured, however I struggle to see them scoring more than once.
Start well and we’ll have Brighton well and truly on the ropes, but I see this being a low-scoring draw in a game they can not afford to lose.
Prediction: Brighton 1-1 Newcastle
Howay the lads!
I would really like to see Diame start in a game that doesn’t mean a lot for us. In the last year since Rafa switched him to defensive mid from a number 10 he has never let us down. He has been our best player in quite a few games!
If you check the stats he is up there with the best in tackles and interceptions in the PL.
We should keep him for at least the next year, even as backup to Hayden.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Diame will never get us top 6.
BUT WE ARE NOT TOP 6.
He will be a very good squad player for where we are now and if we can upgrade the midfield a bit.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Brighton due to get a result after 7 straight duds, can see a draw or loss even knowing us and with key players out injured.
KIMTOON(Quote)
keep having to fill out required fields as won’t save details even though i ticked the box !!
kimtoon(Quote)
I see Olly put an article up earlier about a rumour we may go after Danny Welbeck on a free in the summer. I really don’t know what I feel about that one. It doesn’t blow me away, but I think he could be a decent free transfer – certainly an upgrade on Joselu and would probably offer more than Kenedy or Atsu in the left side forward role as back up to Almiron. He’s had his injuries but is still only 28 so could be good for 2-3 seasons.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I’d want to see Atsu or Muto playing instead of Almiron tomorrow – rather than Kenedy that is. Both are our players and if Chelsea want £30m for Kenedy, he won’t be a Newcastle player, so why put him in ahead of your own players.
I would favour Muto, coz I don’t think he’s had a fair opportunity to prove himself for us. I also suspect Rafa knows what he’s getting from Atsu, so could give him a chance to see if Muto is one for the exit door in the summer, or could he cut it in the PL with a decent pre season.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Bet Huddersfield can’t wait for this season to finish, poor sods.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim – it’s some of the worst defending I’ve ever seen. It was such a gulf in class, you can’t help but feel sorry for the Huddersfield players. But with those players & that new manager, they won’t be going down and coming straight back again imo.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy17
April 26, 2019 at 21:55
Kim – it’s some of the worst defending I’ve ever seen. It was such a gulf in class, you can’t help but feel sorry for the Huddersfield players. But with those players & that new manager, they won’t be going down and coming straight back again imo.
No mate, they won’t. Total mis match tonight.
KIMTOON(Quote)
I wonder how many Scousers will turn up without tickets next week? Has there ever been a PL match at 7.45 on a Saturday night? I would guess quite a few will watch in pubs, stay out until 3am and then sleep in their cars. Don’t most Scousers sleep in their cars anyway? Your’re right, no, they sleep in other people’s cars.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
C’mon you Irons.
I am so sick of hearing about this stadium that I actually want WHam to win.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
At least Spurs paid for their bloody stadium mate – the hammers were given theirs!!. I hate WHU, and Spurs have always been my 2nd team so COYS!!
Sharpy17(Quote)
I’m split today. I really don’t want Hoots to get relegated, but of course I want us to win – I think with every win, it makes it harder for Ashley to not give Rafa a new deal.
It would be great to get 6 points from Brighton and Fulham and finish on 47pts – don’t see anything in the Lpool game having watched them last night.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Are any of these teams trying to get in the Champions League places?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
FFS Man U might even do it now.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The cheese room is really helping Spurs now.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – it’s a strange run in from the 4 teams going for 3rd & 4th isn’t it?!. Spurs were poor today like – I wonder if they are thinking of Ajax and the CL?.
The Chelsea v Man Utd game should be an interesting one for one of those top 4 spots.
I still think Spurs will get 3rd.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Does WHU winning today mean the best we can hope for now is 12th?
That puts them 5pts clear of us now in 11th.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Could be a challenge this evening as Brighton are really fighting for survival.
I’d actually love to see Roberts and Sorensen get some minutes now that we are mathematically safe. We won’t see them but I really would like them to get some time.
Dubai Toon(Quote)
walking through the park i saw something nailed to tree,i went to have a look it was two scum season tickets,i thought ime having these i mean you can never have too many nails 😆
icedog(Quote)
Barreca on the bench… ??
Dubai Toon(Quote)
icedog
April 27, 2019 at 15:42
walking through the park i saw something nailed to tree,i went to have a look it was two scum season tickets,i thought ime having these i mean you can never have too many nails ?
😆 😆 😆
KIMTOON(Quote)
Do like our away strip
KIMTOON(Quote)
Mike dean looks about 100 years old
KIMTOON(Quote)
Get innnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
Perez, but that lad needs to come off , he’s defo injured. 🙁
KIMTOON(Quote)
FFS take Perez off, before he gets worse
KIMTOON(Quote)
That’s a pen
KIMTOON(Quote)
Mike Dean does love his cards
KIMTOON(Quote)
What a goal from Ayoze… Shelvey looks like he cannot be bothered…
****.ed off that Kenedy is on instead of Muto though
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Not impressed by Shelvey so far. Maybe he’s rusty. I was surprised that Kenedy was even on the bench. Good performance otherwise.
Groucho(Quote)
Looks like we should’ve had a penalty there to for Schär… he stayed on his feet and then didn’t get the pen. ???. Seems Mike Dean likes giving penalties except for the Toon.
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Is it just me or is Manquillo so much better than Yedlin? Why hasn’t he played more?
In other news – Kenedy is *****.
Stuart79(Quote)
That’s been coming
KIMTOON(Quote)
Threw it away. Still think we should have tried Roberts as Atsu has no product and Kenedy is useless.
Groucho(Quote)
NEW THREAD
https://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2019/04/27/brighton-1-1-newcastle-nufc-throw-away-2-points-in-a-game-of-two-halves/
We should’ve won that..
Olly Hawkins(Quote)