A huge five days lie ahead for Newcastle United.
While some can’t help but keep one eye on Sunday’s Tyne and Wear derby, a tough test and vital game in our Champions League campaign awaits tonight as we take on Bayer Leverkusen.
The Germans won 2-0 at Man City in their last UCL game, while Newcastle must bounce back from a defeat in Marseille last month, with results last night leaving us 15th in the league but able to go level on points with Inter Milan (5th), Atletico Madrid (7th) and Liverpool (8th) should we win and move up to 12 points.
Saturday’s win over Burnley wasn’t the convincing performance we hoped for, but did deliver the win we needed, making it 10 points from 12 in the league and setting us up nicely for a big week ahead, where two tough away trips await that could go a long way to defining the success of our busy December schedule.
Speaking ahead of the game at the BayArena, Eddie Howe said:
“It has been an intense week, finished the game on Saturday, and immediately prepare for the next one. Having to cram a lot of work into a short period of time. We are excited by this one, looking forward to the challenge, a tough game for us.”
“I think we will pick a team that will be strong tomorrow and strong on Sunday.
“We have a few injuries to our backline which has been there for a few games now, we don’t necessarily have the depth at the moment, but we come here with a strong squad and we are ready for both games this week.
“The best thing to keep players fit and fresh is to keep playing football. Unless rest is specifically designed for the individual, I don’t think rest at this stage of the season is productive.
“The best way to keep players fit and fresh is to keep playing football. Even if we do rotate players, they are still part of the group and a 20-30 minute cameo can do them good.”
Team news
The usual suspects remain out, with Sven Botman (back), Nick Pope (groin) Kieran Trippier (hamstring) and Emil Krafth (knee) all absent, and Will Osula (ankle) expected to be absent once again.
Yoane Wissa is back and likely to appear off the bench again in what would be his first Champions League appearance, with Lewis Hall (ill on Saturday) and Sandro Tonali both fit and available to start.
For Leverkusen, the club are ‘confident’ Alejandro Grimaldo will be return, with German international Robert Andrich back from a ban after he was sent off in their 7-2 defeat to PSG.
Predicted XI
(4-3-3): Ramsdale – Livramento, Thiaw, Burn, Hall – Bruno, Tonali, Joelinton – Elanga, Woltemade, Barnes.
OUT: Schar, Willock, Ramsey, Gordon IN: Hall, Tonali, Joelinton, Barnes.
Match prediction
Leverkusen lost Wirtz, Frimpong, Xhaka, Tah and Hincapie over the summer, with Ten Hag also struggling before Hjulmand took over and steadied the ship, winning seven of their last 11 in the Bundesliga and their last two in the Champions League.
They have picked up after a poor start and remain a dangerous side after winning 2-0 at Man City in matchday five. However, this is a Leverkusen side a level or two below where they’ve been at over the past two seasons, meaning we are more than capable of imposing ourselves, competing and coming away with a win; just like we did as Lomana Lua Lua and Shola Ameobi scored in a 3-1 win in Germany way back in 2003.
A win would be the dream result to get us back on the cusp of the top eight and send us to Sunderland on a high, while a point would be positive and preserve our momentum, and that’s what I fancy us to get in an entertaining game at the BayArena.
Prediction: Bayer Leverkusen 2-2 Newcastle
Howay the lads!
If they aren’t already motivated enough the chance to end up in the top 8 with a win tonight should do it. Gotta be on it and mentally stronger than they have been of late.
HoweIn(Quote)
Schar in or Schar out ?
nutmag(Quote)
Difficult to call this one. It will be difficult and we are not good away, despite the Everton win. I’d put Murphy back in and play Miley too. A draw would be a good result I think.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Agree, anything but a loss, we also need confidence going into the Derby on Sunday.
kimtoon(Quote)
The emphasis has to be on the Leverkusen game, forget Sunderland on Sunday. My opinion, conceding late goals is Howe’s late substitutions, they are unbalancing the team. Leave Willock on the bench.
Peter Beaumont(Quote)
Our u19 team has lost again in the CL. They’ve not won a single I don’t think. Worrying as they are supposedly our future “stars”
Gilly Toon(Quote)
HWTL
kimtoon(Quote)
Why the F are they talking about Arsenal on the channel for our game? TNT are as bad as Sky! 🤬🤬🤡🤡
Gilly Toon(Quote)
ffs
kimtoon(Quote)
We looked the better but we are too timid up front. And they take their chance.
Must do better
kimtoon(Quote)
FFS
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Another great save from our keeper ffs
Icedog(Quote)
WTF has happened to our defense, what was Malick thinking ?
Lucky boy
kimtoon(Quote)
Tough watch. Leverkusen were good but we were equally poor overall. Four main points of concern:
– Lack of desire/aggression
– repeated cheap loss of possession – this is why they keep carving us open
– very little attacking threat/quality
I would make the following changes:
– If we play Barnes and Gordon together then I would much rather Barnes on the left.
– I have been a huge fan of Joelinton since Howe has changed his position but it’s time to transition him out of the team sadly.
– Really hope Wissa is fit enough to come on fairly soon, Wolte has struggled.
Howe the toon(Quote)
Disappointing half
kimtoon(Quote)
Shocking first half. Poor, sloppy and lackadaisical. Bruno needs to sort out his head, he keeps passing to the opposition. Joelinton is awol.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Two good late saves from Ramsdale keep us in this game.
kimtoon(Quote)
I’d take Gordon and Joelinton off. Bring on Murphy on the right, switch Barnes to the left and bring on Miley for Joelinton. Then later change Wissa for Waltemade.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Just need more pace in our attack, we are so ponderous in our build up. Prefer Harvey on the left.
Gordon going nowhere tonight and big Nick losing possession a lot.
kimtoon(Quote)
Yep
kimtoon(Quote)
Getin
That was jammy
kimtoon(Quote)
Now go on and win it
kimtoon(Quote)
Get innn Gordon. What was Flekken thinking?
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Mileyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
kimtoon(Quote)
Get innnnnnnnnnnnn Miley!
Gilly Toon(Quote)
supersub
kimtoon(Quote)
ffs
Every bl oody game same story, drop deep invite the pressure, sick of it. Teams know they have a chance so really go for it now, they know we’ll cave.
kimtoon(Quote)
Now we go forward ! where was that 5 mins ago
kimtoon(Quote)
Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuck we’ve done it again… 😡😡😡😡😡😡
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Really got to knock this late stage jitters out of us.
kimtoon(Quote)
This team man… fu..cking useless at holding a lead. Aaaaagggghhhhhhhhh
Gutted. Again in the last 5 mins. 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
Gilly Toon(Quote)
This sitting back to guard a lead just doesn’t work.
A bit more energy and quality on the ball in the second half. But despite that we still felt a bit flat/hollow through the middle of the field.
Good point I guess, and maybe a positive momentum overall…just
Howe the toon(Quote)