After disappointment in Dortmund, Eddie Howe’s injury and suspension-hit Mags are back in Premier League action this weekend, where a trip to Bournemouth awaits in our final game before the international break.
We may be left with a mountain to climb in Group F, but we’re going brilliantly in the Premier League. Last weekend’s 1-0 win over Arsenal was our fifth victory in our last seven league games – in that time, we’ve kept five clean sheets and scored 20 goals, sending us in touching distance of the top four.
So many of our league rivals have winnable home games this week – Arsenal face Burnley, Aston Villa take on Fulham, Liverpool host Brentford, Brighton play Sheffield United and Man Utd face Luton – so it’s another important weekend in our bid to close the gap and keep the momentum going ahead of a much-needed break.
Team news
Callum Wilson (tight hamstring) is facing a late fitness test, but TEN have been ruled out – Bruno Guimaraes (suspended) Alexander Isak (groin), Sven Botman (knee), Dan Burn (back), Elliot Anderson (back), Jacob Murphy (shoulder), Matt Targett (hamstring), Sandro Tonali (banned) and Javier Manquillo (groin).
For the visitors, £25m summer signing Alex Scott is out with a knee injury along with former Leeds midfielder Tyler Adams.
Predicted line ups
(4-3-3): Pope – Trippier, Lascelles, Schar, Hall – Longstaff, Joelinton, Willock – Livramento, Gordon, Almiron.
A lot will depend on whether or not Wilson passes a late fitness test. Personally I will be surprised if Howe risks him. While Isak is out, he is needed up top and our only other out and out striker, but it would be a big gamble to play someone with his history of hamstring injuries ahead of a hectic run of fixtures between now and the New Year.
With this in mind, I think we’ll see Gordon as a false nine, Almiron on the left, Livramento on the right, a midfield trio of Longstaff, Joelinton and Willock, with Trippier and Hall at full-back and Lascelles alongside Schar at centre-back.
Starting Willock twice in a week may not be an option after his recent return from a long-term injury, meaning Miley or Hall could be used in midfield. If that happens, Livramento could move back to full-back and Joelinton into a more attacking role out wide.
Prediction
Bournemouth were fortunate to beat Burnley in their last home game, giving them their only win of the season so far. They were then battered 6-1 by Man City last weekend and face a Newcastle team who’ve won five and drawn two of their last seven league games.
We may have injuries an suspensions to cope with, but I think we’ll have enough to win this, with or without Wilson. Miggy to score in a tight but precious win for the Toon!
NUFC Blog prediction: Bournemouth 1-2 Newcastle
HWTL!
Thanks Olly, think you are spot on with the team. Sadly I’m not feeling confident for today, think we will lose this one. Too many out and too many games to navigate.
kimtoon(Quote)
The teams around nufc will all fancy 3 points today so it’s important to keep momentum into the international break with another win.
NUFC’ve done very well to get themselves back in touching distance of the top four so they should be motivated not to give that up today
Suspect Bournemouth will come out aggressively to try and get on top of nufc given relative inexperience and injuries.
The nufc squad have drawn justifiable praise for not changing approach despite changes in match day teams. I guess we’ll find out just how deep Howe’s principles run into the squad and even weakened through injury nufc should have enough today
I’m looking forward to this one as it’s the first time I’ll have seen them from the Mobtown Mags home and live in a few weeks
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
Miley and Hall starting with Gordon up top I guess
Bold selection from Howe so let’s what the bairns are made of
HTL
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
Lewis Miley starts, good luck to the lad.
HWTL
kimtoon(Quote)
Jesus Schar injured now
kimtoon(Quote)
Very low key start
Get the impression both teams would take a draw now
And Fk me, schar down now
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
O. M. G what a stressful first half. We were battered there. Miley doing well. Pope on good form. Should’ve had a Penalty for the shirt pull on Miggy. Seen them given for less. But now Miggy off injured.
What can we do in the second half? Nobody to change the game really. I think if we get a point here we will be lucky.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Is anyone else having flashbacks to pre-takeover watching this game .. it’s fkin awful.
I understand why nufc are cagey but at some point hopefully they’ll go for the win.
Pope with a couple of decent stops
Joelinton looks a Bit lost and even Gordon seems subdued. Hall a bit loose at the back too but miley looks ok.
Mostly I just want something to happen so let’s hope Howe peps them at half time
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
Oh ffs. This site. ANGRY EMOJI!!
Gilly “very angry at the site” Toon(Quote)
Tino coming on. Hall off
Gilly “very angry at the site” Toon(Quote)
Tough watch that.
Nufc Deserved and got nothing and were 2nd best to a distinctly average Bournemouth team.
The injuries are def a factor but nufc looked jaded from the start.
Bournemouth sniffed a chance and took it and if they were any better it would’ve been more with the last 10-15 mins looking like children’s football
Hey-ho, this is one of them bumps in the road and on we go to a couple weeks off before a gruelling run of 10 games in 30 days up to Christmas. Hopefully some 1st team players back by then
HTL
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
Awful performance there. Pope did well, Miley did well as did Tino when he came on. We were like rubber. Balls bounced off us to the opposition. We made Bournemouth look like City! Very poor.
This just shows our desperately poor depth of squad to handle 4 completions, and FA cup didn’t even start yet.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
We were as bad as this site. Well, almost
Gilly Toon(Quote)