March is here, and it’s going to be a massive one.
After four straight domestic defeats at St James’ Park, capped off with us pressing the self-destruct button in Saturday’s 3-2 loss to Everton, we have two more huge home games this week and a March full of vital fixtures.
Premier League meetings with Man Utd, Chelsea and Sunderland – all of which are so important to keep our European hopes alive – along with an FA Cup fifth round clash with Man City on Saturday and a two-legged tie with Barcelona in the last 16 of the Champions League.
To save a season in danger of slipping away, we have to improve at both ends of the pitch and find an answer to our recent woes at home, with Eddie Howe under pressure to find a solution after getting it all wrong on Saturday.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday morning, Howe had this to say ahead of another important game on home turf:
“We want to be consistent. We want to be our best in every game so it’s a frustration for all of us. We are trying to find solutions to every problem we have.
“The players and my staff did a really good job of trying to bring it back to that. We did some good work on the training pitch (on Monday), one of the rare opportunities we’ve had to do that, and today will be the same.
“It’s highlighting themes and mentality to our performance that will help us in our next run of games. They are all pivotal games. The games we have, we have to try and be positive and relish those games.
“We can’t play with any fear, need to go and attack the games and be as positive as we can be.”
“Our intention in every game is to get into them, be a proactive team rather than a reactive team. Attack them. They have tweaked things tactically; they have a really good atmosphere there.
“You can see an upturn in their general performance; they have some really good players. It is a chance for us to rediscover our best form at home.”
Jacob Ramsey has recovered from sickness and should be OK, although Nick Woltemade (sickness) hasn’t trained, leaving him a major doubt for the match.
Tino Livramento is “close”, but this game may come too soon. Bruno Guimaraes, Fabian Schar and Emil Krafth remain out.
For Man Utd, Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire should be OK after illness forced them off in Sunday’s 2-1 win over Palace, but Lisandro Martinez looks set to miss out alongside Mason Mount and Patrick Dorgu.
(4-3-3): Ramsdale – Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Hall – Ramsey, Tonali, Joelinton – Murphy, Gordon, Barnes.
OUT: Pope, Burn, Woltemade, Elanga.
IN: Ramsdale, Botman, Barnes, Murphy.
Since Michael Carrick took temporary charge, Man Utd have won six and drawn one of their seven Premier League games, picking up 19 points in a period that’s seen us accumulate just four!
They have the form on their side and come into this 15 clear of Newcastle and up in third – but we do have home advantage under the lights. The question is, will we take advantage to turn around what’s become a worrying run of results on Tyneside.
I think we’ll respond, but our leaky defence worries me against an in-form Benjamin Sesko, the best No.10 in the Premier League in Bruno Fernandes, and two difference-making wide men in Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.
Prediction: Newcastle 2-2 Man Utd
Howay the lads!
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