Paul Merson and Chris Sutton are both backing Eddie Howe to pick up a much-needed win over Wolves ahead of today’s 3pm kick-off at St James’ Park.
Sky Sports’ Merson is backing this one to be a game of goals, thinking we’ll win a five-goal thriller 3-2 to leapfrog Gary O’Neil’s side in the table.
As for the Sutton, the BBC pundit feels it’s vital Howe ends a run of four-straight home games without a win to silence the doubters, saying we were fortunate to beat his former club Blackburn in the FA Cup on Tuesday.
He reckons we’ll come away with a narrow 2-1 win, believing it’s a real ‘blow’ for the visitors to be without joint top-scorer Matheus Cunha. Here’s what both have had to say, starting with Merson.
Paul Merson’s prediction for Sportskeeda:
Newcastle went to Arsenal and got absolutely battered as I predicted. They had a great result in the FA Cup in midweek but are set to play against Man City in the quarterfinal, so that’s the end of their cup run, you could say.
Wolves, on the other hand, are a very underrated football team and have been a good team to watch under Gary O’Neil. I think there will be goals in this one but I think Newcastle will just nick it at home. I’m only saying that because while Wolves are a good team, they are at their best when they aren’t expected to win, which isn’t necessarily the case here.
The Magpies got into the top four last season and that came as a huge surprise. In terms of their performances in the current campaign, I’m not really shocked with their current predicament as they collectively overachieved last season, so everyone knew it would be impossible for them to keep that up. We shouldn’t judge them based on that as we all knew that wasn’t going to happen again!
Prediction: Newcastle United 3-2 Wolves
Chris Sutton’s prediction for BBC Sport:
The more I see of Wolves, the more I can see why they are doing well. They are well organised and carry a threat, although Matheus Cunha’s injury is a blow.
Like Gary O’Neil’s side, Newcastle also reached the FA Cup quarter-finals in midweek – but they were a bit fortunate to get past my old team, Blackburn, on penalties, and their display underlined how they are not the force they were last season.
Just as I’ve been doing with Everton, I keep backing Newcastle at home but they haven’t won any of their past four games at St James’ Park. That has to change if Eddie Howe is going to keep his job. I don’t think he is on the verge of being sacked but he does need a strong end to the season to maintain that belief that he is the man to take them forward.
Of course he is striving to do that but, right now, they are 10th and miles off the kind of form they showed to crack the Champions League places last season, when Howe over-achieved. Wherever they finish in the table, they need to get back to being the swashbuckling team they were earlier on in this campaign.
The more I think about it, the more I think Wolves will nick this but I am actually going to keep backing Newcastle, because the law of averages means they are going to win at St James’ Park again sooner or later.
Prediction: Newcastle 2-1 Wolves
