Gary Neville has once again been discussing Newcastle United’s recent performances and the relegation battle involving as many as SEVEN clubs following results over the weekend.
After watching us beat Aston Villa 1-0 at St James’ Park, he walked away believing he had just witnessed a side who were too good to go down – feeling he saw ‘massive improvements’ in every department.
He’s also praised the resilience we showed at West Ham and newfound confidence the team is displaying, saying he went into Saturday’s 3pm kick offs believing Norwich, Watford and Burnley were going down.
However, with Burnley battering Brighton 3-0 and Watford pulling off a 1-0 win at Villa just a few hours after our draw at the London Stadium, he thinks Sean Dyche and Roy Hodgson can’t be discounted just yet – especially when Brentford, Everton and Leeds all lost once again over the weekend.
Here’s everything he had to say when speaking to Sky Sports, followed by the Premier League table as things stand:
“I was at Newcastle for their win over Aston Villa last week and came to the conclusion that I wasn’t watching a team that was going to get relegated as there were massive improvements in every way. The confidence in the team and the atmosphere in the stadium… it was different.
“Against West Ham, they again were resilient. I went into the afternoon kick-offs on Saturday thinking Norwich, Watford and Burnley would go down. Watford do that yo-yo thing while Norwich don’t invest enough to really have a go at it and have been not as good as the rest all season.
“I didn’t think Burnley were any worse at the start of the season but just felt the rest had got stronger. But then Burney go and do what they did at Brighton! If Sean Dyche was to get Burnley out of this, it would be the great escape. It would mean that a Newcastle, a Brentford or a Leeds would go down.
“I don’t think Everton will go down but people are right to include them. I have enjoyed watching Brentford this season but I am worried for them. It would be sad to lose them as every time I watch them, I want to watch them play more as they give it a go. They would be a loss but them and Leeds are in danger of getting dragged in.
“Dyche and Roy Hodgson are resilient and they have been around the block. They won’t panic and they know how to get shock results.
“Roy and [assistant manager] Ray [Clemence] will bring a feeling of being like grandparents to those players. I mean this in a respectful way, not because of their age, but because of the experience, knowledge and calmness they will bring to that group of players at Watford.
“They know they will have their respect and will play for them. It won’t be personal but for the love of the game. Roy’s biggest thing is he gets players doing what he wants. His training sessions are very repetitive but when they start getting results the players will start buying into those patterns.
“This is what makes Watford and Burnley dangerous to the likes of Brentford, Leeds and Newcastle.”
“Roy and [assistant manager] Ray [Clemence] will bring a feeling of being like grandparents to those players” – Ray Lewington – not Ray Clemence, who unfortunately passed away a few years ago..
Neil(Quote)
Chris Wilder talking nonsense about Bruce thinks he had an impossible task?
He had a difficult task, but what was the reason he didn’t have his players fit enough or organised?
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