From the San Siro to the mean streets of South Yorkshire, Newcastle take on newly-promoted Sheffield United this Sunday.
We came away from Milan with a precious point on Tuesday, giving us a platform to build on in the Champions League. However, the next week will test our ability to cope on two or three fronts, with tomorrow’s Premier League game followed by a Carabao Cup clash with Man City next Wednesday.
Last Saturday’s 1-0 win over Brentford wasn’t pretty – nor was our 0-0 at AC Milan in midweek – but they were two superb results and just what we needed after three straight defeats.
Leaving Bramall Lane with a win on Sunday would be big on a few fronts. Not only to build momentum in the league, but prove to Eddie Howe and the players that we can cope with the demands of European and Premier League football.
Physically, can we go again and outwork a tough Sheffield United side? Mentally, can we refocus after Tuesday’s huge occasion? Technically, will we show more quality in possession and tactically, can Howe get it right to help us pose more of a threat in the final third? Plenty of questions – hopefully the answers are an overwhelming yes come 6pm tomorrow.
Team news
Joelinton (knee) will miss out once again alongside Joe Willock (Achilles) and Emil Krafth (ACL). Elsewhere, Eddie Howe accepted rotation will be needed – without making ‘wholesale changes’ – due to our busy schedule and Tuesday’s energy-sapping trip to Italy.
For the hosts, Oli McBurnie is facing a one-game ban following his red card in their late defeat to Spurs, but sidelined are Ben Osborn, Max Lowe, John Fleck, Rhian Brewster, Daniel Jebbison, George Baldock and Will Osula.
Predicted line ups
(4-3-3): Pope – Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn – Longstaff, Bruno, Anderson – Almiron, Wilson, Barnes.
I think we’ll see Callum Wilson, Miguel Almiron and Harvey Barnes definitely return to the starting 11 after they were benched at the San Siro.
Wilson was our matchwinner last weekend and could be better suited to facing Sheffield United’s likely low block. Anthony Gordon looked jaded at Milan and has started every game so far, so I can see Barnes replacing him down the right.
Almiron hasn’t started either of our last two games, so he’s fresh and expected to start down the right. I can see a front three of Barnes, Wilson and Almiron, but find it tough say who’ll partner Longstaff and Bruno in midfield. Sandro Tonali hasn’t trained a great deal and didn’t look fully fit at Milan, so I’ll go with Anderson; who played 90 minutes last weekend in our 1-0 win over Brentford.
At the back, there’s been calls for Tino Livramento or Lewis Hall to play, I just don’t think Howe will alter a defence that’s just banked back-to-back clean sheets. After our 3-1 defeat at Brighton, we’d kept just two in our previous 22 games, so I think we’ll see the same back five and rotation at the back for next week’s Carabao Cup clash with Man City.
Predicted Sheffield United XI: Foderingham, Ahmedhodzic, Egan, Robinson – Bogle, Souza, Norwood, Hamer, Thomas – McAtee – Archer.
Ones to watch: Two that stand out to me are summer signings Cameron Archer and Gustavo Hamer. The former is a brilliant finisher who comes alive in the box, although it’ll be interesting to see how he works without big man Ollie McBurnie. Hamer has been their most impressive player so far this season. He’s scored twice in four appearances, loves a shot from range and has shone since sealing a £15m move from Coventry.
Prediction
The Blades have just one point from their opening five games, but they’ve been competitive in all of those. They came close to beating Spurs last weekend – conceding TWICE in stoppage time to lose 2-1 – and almost held Man City at home, losing 2-1 thanks to Rodri’s 88th minute winner.
However, Paul Heckingbottom is believe to be under pressure and the players will be hurting after that late collapse at Spurs. I expect this to be another fairly tight game, just hope – and believe – we’ll come into this one buoyed by big results against Brentford and AC Milan.
Barnes and Wilson to score in a solid away win for Eddie Howe’s Mags.
Prediction: Sheffield United 0-2 Newcastle
HWTL!
Here via twitter again as blog website page still not showing featured discussion also once I got this page up I had Ice’s details .
As for the game, we need another win, I don’t care how ugly it is just win. Would like to see the same defensive resilience that stood us in good stead last season, need to be hard to beat again.
kimtoon(Quote)
Yeah I know they are a newly promoted team but they shouldn’t be seen as an easy 3 points – especially at their place.
They may lack a bit of quality but they are a hard working side and Hamer is in decent form.
Build on that Brentford win & start getting some decent points on the board.
Sharpy17(Quote)
This is exactly what I mean about this site!!.
A quick google search will tell you that the combined social media following for NUFC is over 9 million – yet TWO people have posted on an article for the build up to our next game.
As someone who has posted on this site for over 15 years & though some of the toughest years in my time supporting NUFC it’s bl00dy heartbreaking to it this way ☹️
Sharpy17(Quote)
Fully agree Sharpy, I’ve been on here, or a previous version of it, at least 15 years, starting on Ed’s, then followed when this site split off
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Agreed – things are just very dull.
georgio(Quote)
I think part of the problem is that it has become a quick-read site.
With so many articles up every day it’s easier to simply browse the articles.
I used to write for Toonsey, but now If I spend a few hours researching and writing I know it’s simply going to be one of several articles per day so no payback.
There is little point in commenting on the articles because they will be gone before a discussion can start.
Only a suggestion, but instead of inviting comments on the article put a link to the discussion site, or duplicate comments onto the discussion site.
PremAndUp(Quote)
On the game, it’s the PL that’s priority so best team possible today. Another learning experience for players on getting back to reality after the CL adventure to hopefully get into a natural rhythm for CL/PL
Wilson for isak and resting tonali if he’s struggling for fitness feels right
Can’t think about this one without considering the cup game and I doubt Howe will leave out trippier and botman for that. With less quality at RCB, Trippier to start today and we might see Livramento at RB quite early today and starting midweek.
If Gordon not RWF then hopefully Murphy there and Barnes RLF. An opportunity today for guimaraes to justify his juicy new contract today
As the club’s aim is to compete at the top this is a game to win
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
On the blog, I stick mostly to main article and skim news articles for anything interesting. An example of uninteresting, a waste of virtual ink and a downturn on this blog imo are Articles Highlighting uninformed muppets slagging off nufc from afar. Not sure if it’s a demographic thing but I couldn’t give a hairy 5h1t what Simon Jordan et al or some bit part Chilean striker thinks of nufc.
If core commenters have problems accessing the blog that explains the lack of comments I guess which is a real shame. I do wonder what the priority is for keeping the blog viable as there are around 10-12 core commenters and access issues don’t seem to limit the number of articles
Between beer, lunch (or sometimes breakfast), chatting in pub and watching the game I don’t have much time for sensible non-emotive game time comments but I do try to post where possible
On offering thoughts above, the blog is the one I’ve followed the longest (pre-toonsy) and still has plenty to offer
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
DOH! .. of course I meant LCB when referencing botman🙄
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
Olly, you were spot on with the team! 👌👍, I’d like to see a 3-0 statement of intent today.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
The site is drowning in ads. It’s as bad as the dodgy stream sites now, when it’s just video ad on top of video ad.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
That’s 3-0 to us of course, I forgot we are playing away and my prediction May have been misconstrued 😬😂😂
Gilly Toon(Quote)
RIP Maddy, gone far too young
kimtoon(Quote)
HWTL
kimtoon(Quote)
Not sure what’s up with us this season, nowhere near the threat of last season, look ponderous again.
KIMTOON(Quote)
GetinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnLongstaff
KIMTOON(Quote)
Burnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!
oh yes .
KIMTOON(Quote)
Not watching as checking out the cheese steaks in Philly. Lots of chat about handball and over the line when Gordon crossed it. Was the goal valid ??
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
Filthy tackle
KIMTOON(Quote)
Well now they are just hacking at us
KIMTOON(Quote)
They heard you Gilly 🖤🤍
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
First goal definitely stayed in, a great goal. Brilliant from Burn and Botman too! And we should’ve had a clear penalty too! I don’t know how that was not a penalty! Wilson has been a bit wasteful too and could’ve had a hat trick! We started very slow and sluggish, but picked up very well after the goal. Hope that Barnes is not too badly hurt!
Gilly Toon(Quote)
And another thing, Sheffield could’ve easily been down to 10 men. There was a yellow that could’ve been easily a red!
Need a few more in the second half. I hope we don’t sit back
Gilly Toon(Quote)
5 live were saying that he got the ball, it wasn’t high, merely strong and therefore not even a foul.
PremAndUp(Quote)
And on the bbc live text( so I think the same team ) they claim it was def penalty 🤣🤣
I wish I was watching live as it sounds lively
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
And Wilson
0.4
kimtoon(Quote)
Gordonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
0.5
kimtoon(Quote)
Miggy
0.6
kimtoon(Quote)
Brunooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
0.7
kimtoon(Quote)
isak
0.8
kimtoon(Quote)
8 EIGHT!
O. M. G. 8-0. What a game. Gordon MotM he was immense
Gilly Toon(Quote)
8 different players scored. Unbelievable… I just didn’t see that coming. Amazing result.
Gilly Toon(Quote)