Over the next week, Newcastle United will welcome both Leicester City (Sunday 17th April) and Crystal Palace (Wednesday 20th April) to St James’ Park.
Whether this double header is deemed a chance to make absolute certain of survival or push towards the top 10, we may have the upper hand in both before a ball is even kicked.
Starting with Sunday’s clash with Leicester, the Foxes will arrive on Tyneside just 48 hours after their Europa Conference League quarter-final against PSV on Thursday night.
Following a 0-0 draw with the Dutch giants last week, it’s all to play for in Eindhoven and could mean Rodgers is forced to rotate on Sunday – especially when they also face a trip to Everton next Wednesday.
Crystal Palace are another side who could arrive to St James’ Park a little worse for wear on April 20th.
The Eagles play in the club’s biggest game for many a year on Sunday evening, facing Chelsea at Wembley in the semi-final of the FA Cup.
In that, you can expect Patrick Vieira to go full strength and the players to give 110% from start to finish, meaning a few tired legs could turn up for Wednesday night’s clash at St James’ Park.
We also play on Sunday, so you may wonder how we have an advantage here, but the pitch at Wembley is huge and the occasion one of the biggest in Crystal Palace history, so it could take it’s toll physically and mentally on another side who have little left to play for in the league.
So, if we want to build on that win over Wolves, make certain of our Premier League status and mount a late surge up the table in the final few games of the season, these next two games could hand us the ideal opportunity to do so!
