We may be playing a “big six” side, but this weekend feels like a huge chance to all but secure our Premier League status.
This was written before Fulham’s team time trip to Chelsea – a game they really need to win now they’re NINE points behind us and seven shy of fourth bottom Brighton as of Saturday morning – however that is one tough game for Scott Parker’s side.
Should they fail to win at Stamford Bridge, we could have the chance to move 11 or 12 clear with just four games to go. That feels very doable against a beatable Arsenal team.
Not only did they play on Thursday night in a Europa League semi-final first leg at Villarreal (and play with 10 men for a period), the Gunners could arrive at St James’ Park with one eye on next week’s second leg.
We can’t bank on that or underestimate them based on them being 10th in the table, but there can be no denying we are playing one of the poorest Arsenal sides we’ve ever seen at THE perfect time – especially when our top scorer also looks set to start for the first time since February.
Time to take advantage and take another huge step towards safety.
Team news
- Joe Willock – Ineligible for this one against his parent club.
- Callum Wilson – Set to start after Bruce confirmed he’s fully recovered and ready to play from the off.
- Matt Ritchie – A ‘slight doubt’ with a calf injury, yet Bruce seems hopeful he’ll be OK.
- Fabian Schar – Played 45 minutes for the U23s earlier this week and ‘might’ make the squad, says Bruce.
- Ryan Fraser – Recovering from groin surgery. Bruce said last week he’d be back in ‘two to three weeks’.
- Karl Darlow – Another who is expected to be back in the next week or two after an operation on his knee.
- Jamaal Lascelles – Likely to miss the remainder of the season after suffering a stress fracture in his foot.
- Isaac Hayden – Ruled out for the season with a knee injury.
For the visitors, Aubameyang, Lacazette and Tierney are all back in training so could feature, however it remains to be seen if Arteta will play it safe with all three and rest some key players who started Thursday night’s Europa League semi-final first leg at Villarreal. David Luiz is fit again and could play.
Predicted lineup
(5-3-2): Dubravka – Murphy, Fernandez, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie – S Longstaff, Shelvey (c), Almiron – Saint-Maximin, Wilson.
Joe Willock would’ve almost certainly come into the side had he been available, however he’s on loan from Arsenal and ineligible to play against his parent club.
This weekend the team practically picks itself – providing Matt Ritchie overcomes a calf injury. Bruce said in Friday’s presser that he was hopeful he’d be fine for this one, so we’re backing him to be OK.
The one and only change we’ve gone for from last weekend’s game at Anfield is Joelinton OUT, Wilson IN.
The Brazilian has scored in each of our last two home games against West Ham and Spurs, playing well in both, however he was wasteful at Liverpool. Not only that, Bruce practically admitted in Friday’s press conference that Wilson will come back in, stating the ‘time is right’ to give him starts after a series of substitute appearances.
Match prediction
With Wilson set to start, ASM in great form and safety now in touching distance, I fancy us to beat an Arsenal side who could have one eye on next week’s semi-final second leg against Villarreal.
They won’t want to lose momentum and suffer another confidence-knocking defeat, but they also won’t want to risk key players in a Premier League season that looks guaranteed to end in mid-table mediocrity for Mikel Arteta.
We got lucky defensively at Anfield and won’t have Willock to save Bruce’s bacon, however I actually have a good feeling about this one…
Prediction: Newcastle 2-1 Arsenal
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I know it’s Arsenal and we never beat them but just this once can we please get a result and put survival to bed nice and early.
Still packing, be glad when the moves complete tbh, it’s been way more stressful than i ever thought it would be. Cheeky buyer wants to come back for another visit with builders this week. I’m up to my eyes in packing boxes and looking after Lewis and he wants to come traipsing around with builders in the middle of a pandemic ! He gets the property a week Wednesday , apparently if they can’t come this week he has to wait until July, hmm, really.
He’s been a ball ache from the get go, has visited 4 times already, once with a builder so not sure why he needs to come back week before completion.
Thoughtless t osser, pity he’s not having to pack up and do loads of running around and phone calls, he might be too busy to be bothering me then.
kimtoon(Quote)
Kimtoon: I was once burgled by movers. I knew it was them because they broke in through a basement window and we were the last move. I am sure they heard us saying we were going for a beer. Came back and disturbed them. They took a laptop, a watch and an 8 inch kitchen knirfe which I am sure was to threaten us. Luckily didnt touch the dog, a Jack Russell who you could proably sell. Called the Police who wrote a report and we never heard from them again.
But I know it was the movers. They have a foreman and then just hire muscle and dont check them out.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
If we had the money we could have a decent team next year with Willock and Abraham. We would still have Bruce though so we would still be bottom half.
Aguero scores. Why are they letting him go?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Listened to a BBC podcast and a lot of it was about Spurs. They were talking Eddie Howe as the new Manager. If so, that is a complete miscalulation by Levy. He has a relegation on his CV and I think he was also sacked by Burnley. Plus, it seems he lost the dressing room at B’mth and you could never say that the Spurs players are united, except against Jose which is actually a bad thing.
Jermaine Jenas was saying they had a good squad who were not an aging rilic needing a refresh and relying on 2 players. The other pundit mentioned central defense and Lloris bit Jenas would have none of it. Then Kane was brought up and Jenas said he COULD NOT leave because he had a contract. He quoted the Pogba situation. Does anybody think that he would not have left if Man U were offered 100 mil. Do you really want a sulking Harry Kane about the place. Jenas is an idiot. I am beginneing to think his punditry is as bad as his play.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I am just finding the Spurs situation funny because their fans are so arrogant. The press never describe them as delusional. Their business model is predicated on CL football and I just cannot see it for at least a couple of years. Elite managers know that as well and they know the finances and that Kane will want away. Whatever Jenas says.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Kim – you’re right, we never beat them. But they are in a bad way at the moment & will be focused on the second leg – it’s set up for a bit of Brucey luck this one.
With Wilson back and leading the high press, I can see us getting into them tomorrow – whether that leads to a win, I’m not sure, but I see at least a point out of them.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I think Sterling had about 6 attempts today and not one on target.
If Southgate plays him ahead of Foden he wants sacking!!.
On form I’m not sure Sterling should even go to the Euros really, but I think Southgate will take him & play him ??♂️.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy, hope you are right mate, a win would pretty much seal us for PL next season.
Eric, That’s awful about your movers. My guys are small family business, met them today as they took some stuff away for me to dump. Spent bloody hour an a half on phone to virgin yesterday to arrange connection after the 12th, they offered 18th !, i threatened to go with someone else and after lots of her leaving me hanging on managed to get the 14th and a juicy discount on upgraded package. 😉
All day ringing various companies to advise of move, feels like a wasted day i could of been packing. And Royal mail charge the earth to redirect mail, robbing gits, I just did 6 months as that’s dear enough.
Still got lots of companies to phone, fed up with it all now.
kimtoon(Quote)
Fulham 1.0 down
kimtoon(Quote)
I reckon Arsenal will still keep the ball but will they really risk Aubamayang to start in a nothing game to them. Lacazette wasnt even on the bench on Thursday. From what I have seen Saka has been their best player and I think he is 19. And that defense!!! I saw on the Guardian team predictions they think they will change it up, but they are all pretty bad. Chambers and Holding should be nowhere near an Arsenal team and I even think Holding is captain sometimes. That’s like making Shelvey captain 🙂
Thinking more about the arrogance of Spurs. Remember their Managers before Poch? ‘Arry and Tim Sherwood. Poch was even an unknown quantity coming from S’ton. Now they think they are Billy Big B0llocks. It would be funny if they got Eddy Howe. I think Levy thought the new shiny stadium would get them Brendan or Ten Haag but I hope neither are stupid enough to not see it will be a slog for 3 years. ESL, yer ‘avin a laugh!
They were lucky to get to the CL final. Remember the Ajax game? And the Man City League Cup. They might as well have handed over the trophy at kick off.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I have been saying for months that this is the worst Arsenal team in living memory. Mainly because it was obvious. But none of the pundits spoke out until very recently. They werent going to say anything against their golden boy, Arteta. They do this with some managers. They pick favourites and ignore reality. A lot of stuff I have seen from them (men) is how good looking he is and how great his hair is. Great analysis there boys, how about we talk about his defense or how Aubamayang went on an on-pitch holiday after his big contract.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Bruce was going on about online abuse in his press conference. He said his son had shown him some of what he gets on social media. First, that is nothing compared to the stick he would take if fans are allowed back into grounds. The final 2 games are almost upon us and a few fans will be let in. Even at away grounds as of now. If we are safe, which it looks like with Chelsea 2-0 up, will Bruce get abuse?
He also said that his dog ran away after he took it to a fire work display and was returned because of social media. What sort of moron takes a dog to fireworks? I have seen dogs go mental even in the house on the 4th of July. It is bordering on animal cruelty and the proof is in that the dog ran away.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Looking seriously like 3 of the “Big 6” will miss out on the CL. It is almost inevitable because 6 into 4 doesnt go. I am happy that it will be Spurs and Liverpool because of their role in the NUFC takeover and because of their entitled fans. They both think that they just have to turn up to beat NUFC. Arsenal actually have a good case that that would happen given their record against us. That, and the fact we have Bruce, are the only reasons I think we might not get something tomorrow.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I have hardly watched anything on politics since Trump left. He was so exhausting that I just couldnt take anymore. But I have seen a few headlines and Biden is basically reversing everything Trump did and his approval ratings are through the roof for doing so. The contrast between his covid actions and Trump’s is astonishing. Then there is the wall. Trump’s folly.
A folly is a structure in English country gardens where the rich owners built some sort of vanity project like a turret attached to a church that had no use, but they thought would be a good idea. Well, Biden has cancelled all funding for Trump’s wall. It was $14 Billion and has been returned to the Pentagon where Trump took from. Now you are left with these unconnected rusting eyesores in the middle of texas scrub and brush country.
It really is Trumps Folly. He had no plan for how it would work. He could have looked at Hadrians Wall from 2000 years ago and seen they built strategic forts and lookouts along the wall. But no, he was relying on border guards in SUVs. And the illegal immigrants had already found a way of getting over the wall – it was called a ladder!!!
I am just laughing at this because people will look back on this in 50 years and see it as what it is, the biggest hoax of the American people in history. Trump’s Folly. A legacy of the Man-Baby who didnt always get his own way. #WorstPresidentEver.
PS I hope some of Boris’ stupidity eventually catches up with him, but I doubt it with the disarray the opposition parties are in. Maybe though. Trump was teflon for a long time, until he wasnt.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Looking at the run-in I will be amazed if Fulham get more than 4 points. Burnley isnt easy. Who knows with Southampton and us. But does anybody see anything other than a loss at Man U. Even a point tomorrow should do it.
If Liverpool lose tomorrow I think their CL chances are done. Spurs are already out. I am not the biggest fan of the Blue Bindippers either but finishing above Liverpool would make me happy.
Yes, I am holding a grudge against Spurs and Liverpool for their role in our takeover.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric, Fulham have 4 games left now, win all 4( unlikely ) and the maximum they can get is 39 points, we just need another win to pretty much rule them out. The Baggies have 5 games left and if they win all 5 a possible 40 point total, even 4 wins 37points would see them above us if we don’t get another point and our run in stinks. Oddly, I worry more about the baggies than Fulham, possibly it’s the big Sam thing.
If we don’t get at least a point today then I will worry cause we will not see owt from Leicester or City and Sheff united and Fulham are both capable of beating us. I always think you need 40-41 to be sure of safety.
kimtoon(Quote)
Need Wolves to see off West Brom tomorrow evening really, giving them only a maximum of 37 they can get . We’d only need a couple of points then in reality cause Fulham will not catch us, i think they are down in their heads already.
kimtoon(Quote)
Eric, It’s funny how Boris friend Dominic has turned on him really, and to think he stood by him after the sight savers trip to Barnard Castle . That little sh ite knows where all the skeletons are buried, think there will be plenty more leaks to come yet.
As for the funding of the PM’s flat. I’m not that arsed if he had a tory donor give him money towards it. Yes it makes him beholden to them but it’s not a surprise really if we are honest, they all do it what ever party gets in.
Tell you what though, not sure I will be spending £800 a roll on wallpaper in my new place 😯
kimtoon(Quote)
Hi guys. I think today is our biggest chance ever to take points from the ****. Really hoping we have a good game today. I’ll take a point too if we can. Sadly no Willock to come and save us, but hoping Callum will start
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Yes Gilly, pity about Willock, really hope we can buy the lad. Callum should be bit more fitter now , looked lively last week.
kimtoon(Quote)
Kim – imagine if we were Russia – I would how vocal Cummings would be then?!.
They are all a bunch of back stabbing parasites & I hope he sings like a canary so we find it all out!!!.
There is no challenge & no opposition to try & hold the Tories to account. Kier thought the best challenge on ‘cash for cushions’ was to be photographed next to rolls of wall paper – hilarious!!.
I am arsed about the refurbishment and who pays – largely because these are the same people who make decisions on the financial help the poorest people in our country gets, or whether malnourished kids are entitled to school meals.
They can never come close to understanding what impact their decisions if they can’t manage their own finances in the way the rest of the nation has to.
The talk has been about holding football to account and the PM should step in – but Parliament is as corrupt as football.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I’d love to get Willock back next season – ideally buy but I’d take another loan with an option to buy if that’s the best we could get.
Further to that, Willems & Josh King are out of contract in the summer – we should be working on those deals now imo. Both would improve our squad imo.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy, on Boris, all good points but nothing seems to stick with Boris, we all know he’s dodgy as ,but such are his followers that,even if he were to skin and burn Larry the no 10 cat in full view of cameras his devotees would make an excuse for it. 🙄
kimtoon(Quote)
Kim – I know, but we have to learn. We can just accept ‘oh well it’s Boris, we know what he’s like’ – people have done that for years & mop the mess up afterwards.
Part of the problem has been they keep their **** under wraps, so if the weasel that is Cummings blows the lid off it, good. Things have to change because IF these rats have lined their own pockets off the back of a pandemic – I WANT to know about it & I want them held accountable for it.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy, You are preaching to the converted mate, I’m just fed up of arguing that he’s a sh it with folk and I have bought up the fact that a lot of friends or companies aligned with the Tories have benefited on here before as you know.
I think Keir is trying to hold him to account at PM questions and actually did pretty well at last PMQ’S with Boris totally losing his cool by the end. He has a very nasty streak in him does Boris, gets very personal when losing his argument, sign of no back bone, not surprising though.
Defo wouldn’t want to be in the trenches with him that’s for sure.
kimtoon(Quote)
@rse have totally changed their team. They were so shyte against Villareal it is hard to know if they are saving their better players. Still sorry to see Aubamayang start even though he has not been that great this year.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
team
Newcastle United: Martin Dúbravka; Jacob Murphy, Federico Fernández, Ciaran Clark, Paul Dummett, Matt Ritchie; Jonjo Shelvey, Sean Longstaff; Miguel Almirón, Callum Wilson, Allan Saint-Maximin.
Substitutes: Mark Gillespie, Emil Krafth, Fabian Schär, Jamal Lewis, Matty Longstaff, Jeff Hendrick, Elliot Anderson, Joelinton, Dwight Gayle.
kimtoon(Quote)
Strange game later as well because I want Man U to win because it will keep the Red Bindippers out of the top 4.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
My worry is that **** actually have a forward on the pitch rather than a false 9. Changing my prediction from 2-1 to us to 1-1 as I think they will have 65% possession but also Aubamayang will score.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
A draw will see us safe though. We are anyway, but we are NUFC so anything can happen!!!
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Kim – Parliament isn’t the place to do it really. The Tories hold too many seats & hes surrounded by his mates – plus nobody really watches PM questions. The media need to get on this and go at it. They will if Cummings gives them a sniff.
Kier got it wrong getting photographed with wall paper coz it looked like he was making a joke of it too.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Anyway, sod the politics I think we win today ?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Even though I think “Bruce the Excuse” is a bad manager I still want us to win. I am, above all, a NUFC fan so HWTLs.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So Callum starts! Good! Not happy to see Aubamayang start though.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
FFS
kimtoon(Quote)
Just gift them possession and hope they cannot shoot on target like Liverpool.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Do we not close down now then .
C rap start , we are all over the shot, giving this lot far too much time and space .
kimtoon(Quote)
I knew when the commentators were slagging off Arsenal it would be bad news for us.
kimtoon(Quote)
There is a 500 fan riot at Old Trafford.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Bruce basically hoping for some ASM magic
Well done dubs good save
kimtoon(Quote)
God we are so poor
kimtoon(Quote)
Typical. 10 shots by **** at 34 mins.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Bruce masterplan is working perfectly.
Only 1 nil down at half time.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Ok maybe not. My confidence was tested before kick off when a stat went up saying we have only beat them once in something like 20 meetings.
Then the game kicked off & I remembered Bruce is our manager & Arsenal are allegedly a top 6 side so we will only have 30% possession.
What a difficult watch that first half is man. Zero motivation, second to every ball and no aggression shown to win the ball back.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Hopefully we can level this but then the Bruce apologists will be out again – even amongst our own fans. They re-wrote the book of the Burnley game because we won. But Burnly should have hammered us.
Have we even seen the ball in the 1st half?
Not meaning to be negative but saying there are so many journos and even fans who have pretended we played well recently. We got results, we didnt play well!!!!!
Eric Sykes(Quote)
No one on their game today, making a poor Arsenal look great.
kimtoon(Quote)
This is the worst Arsenal side in living memory and we are making them look like the Xavi-Iniesta-Messi Barcelona in the 1st half.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
We are determined to give Fulham hope aren’t we.
Bruce talking prior to game like we are all but safe, we are not and we will be lucky to get another point before we face Fulham.
kimtoon(Quote)
They have a **** defense. Luiz is 73 years old. Give them something to think about.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
We are safe. Doesnt excuse this performance ’til half time though.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
MY god we are awful. Dreadful football. We will loose this game. No ambition or fight or desire at all. Surprising? No…! ???
Gilly Toon(Quote)
need to pressure Xhaka much much more, he’s a red waiting to happen
kimtoon(Quote)
Eric, we are not safe, Do you see us getting owt from Leicester or City ? if Fulham lose again and the baggies then we are safe.
kimtoon(Quote)
Put it this way, I don’t fancy are chances if it’s must win on the last day v Fulham
kimtoon(Quote)
To put this into context, this is the worst Arsenal side I’ve seen in my time following football, who aren’t even at full strength today – and we can’t compete with them.
Sharpy17(Quote)
our
kimtoon(Quote)
just cannot hang onto the ball, it’s infuriating
kimtoon(Quote)
game over
kimtoon(Quote)
Oh well! I started changing my mind about the result to a draw earlier. But this is typical and we will see how much the excusers make excuses. I have been ranting al week that the points have covered up performances.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I see Fulham getting a maximum of 4 points and that includes against us.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I’ve given up. Can’t watch any more of this. It’s awful again.
This is some of the worst football I’ve ever watched from a NUFC side – and that includes Carvers stint.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Joelinton stripped off on 70 mins so we still have a chance 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
If Steve Bruce is still in charge of NUFC next season & fans return to the stands they want their bloody heads testing.
Sharpy17(Quote)
They split the screen with the NUFC match and the protests at Old Trafford over here. Nobody did anything. It took them an hour to get cops in. There was one guy whose pants were falling down around his **** who was walking around with impunity. People taking selfies and videos like it was a bank holiday at the beach.
I am not a big Tory “Law and Order” guy but this doesnt make any sense. I suppose they didnt want a riot, but then just letting them do what they want is not the answer either.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And… My reckoning was against this Arsenal, it was – if not now, then never. I suppose NEVER. They were still there for the taking but we let them have the ball. So much for Bruce saying about when we got our players back… We are safe though Kimtoon, even if we lose our next 2 games, which is likely.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Entirely possible we don’t get another point now, next two are losses before we kick a ball, Sheff utd will play with zero pressure and then Fulham. Fulham attack and play good football, they have looked beaten but we have just given thenm a gift.
And a straight red for Schar, ffs
kimtoon(Quote)
This has to be another wake up call to how we really are under Bruce! No matter what players he has, we are shyte. I have harped on that recent results have hidden bad performances and still pundits and even some fans defend Doubtfire.
The cabbage is useless and always will be. I allowed myself some (false) hope because Arsenal are also **** but started to change my mind before kick-off and predicted a draw. To lose to THIS Arsenal is so unforgivable, the best chance we had in years, SO BRUCE!
Eric Sykes(Quote)
This team are so fu.cking shi.te. They’ve all gone on holiday. No desire, no ambition absolutely fu.cking sh.ite. We didn’t even give it a go. Our midfield could not win a slug race. Was Sean Longstaff even on the pitch? Shocking.. ??????????
Gilly Toon(Quote)
I actually wanted **** to score another so the so-called fans who have recently been defending Bruce because we have got a few points would go back into their caves and STFU. This is who we are under Bruce.
This is who we were against Burnley, despite the lucky result.
This is who we were against West Ham, despite the lucky result.
This is who we were against Liverpool, despite the lucky result.
This is who we were against Brighton.
9 zero 1 Bruceball most games. Cabbage, Doubtfire, Bagpuss F-off.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And how was that a red for us, and xhaka didn’t get e second yellow and red? Mike fu.cking Dean may as well have been wearing and **** shirt!
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Bruce has no excuse for today. He had both Wilson & ASM up front and didn’t supply them at all – long balls into the corners for them to chase.
No excuses for the lack of motivation or combativeness shown today. Awful performance, but should be surprised, Sheff Utd hadn’t won a game all season til they played us, so we were ideal for an under par Arsenal side to build a bit confidence.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Dean always looks after the big 6
kimtoon(Quote)
Gilly – that’s been Longstaff all season for me mate.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Last time. I have been ranting all week that we have been flattered by results and still some fans like Wraith have been acting like we turned a corner and have played well. NO,NO, NO – we got lucky. And Sean Longstaff did not play well like some have said. He is as slow as Shelvey .
Eric Sykes(Quote)
need to retire some of these Refs. Dean can see about as well as a mole with conjuctivitus. Fat Boy Moss runs about as fast as Cyril Smith (remember him?) after 12 pints and 3 sunday dinners.
Eric Sykes(Quote)