Some interesting comments on Newcastle United from this ` Sport pundit.
Chris Sutton wonders how teams will react after the World Cup.
A forced break from league football for over six weeks for Newcastle United and the other 19 PL clubs, the ` Sport pundit explained: “It’s like starting the season all over again. There are so many unknowns with almost every team. Until we see everyone play it’s really hard to know what might happen.
Newcastle United were the Premier League club at their best in October and November, taking 22 points from a possible 24. Leicester City picked up 16 points from a possible 24, a massive improvement from a point from a possible 21 in their first seven PL games!
Still, Brendan Rodgers’ side have only won at home against Forest and Leeds in the Premier League. In their other ho9ome PL games, the Foxes lost to Southampton, Man Utd and Man City and drew with Brentford and Crystal Palace.
Given their poor home form, it’s then somewhat bizarre that only Newcastle United (five) and Man Utd (four) have conceded fewer than the six goals Leicester have conceded at home. The problem at King Power has been goal, as only three of the bottom four clubs have scored fewer goals than Leicester’s nine at home.
In Newcastle’s seven PL away games, which have produced an impressive three wins and three draws and the unfortunate defeat at Anfield, they have conceded just six goals but scored a decent 12. In their last four away games, NUFC have scored 10 goals and conceded just three.
Highlighting the autumn’s NUFC promotion, Chris Sutton stated: “Newcastle have flown to third place with five straight league wins” and now it’s a matter of staying up there and possibly even improving to third place.
The ` Sport pundit summarizes what happened at Newcastle United under Eddie Howe when he said: “The Foxes won that game 4-0 in December last year but Newcastle are a completely different team now.”
That was a game where anything that could go wrong could go wrong, an outrageous James Maddison dive that gave the home side a penalty just before half-time and put them on track after Newcastle had been the better team.
In the last four visits, Newcastle have won three of them, so hopefully that tradition of regular wins can be repeated in Leicester.
Chris Sutton predicts Eddie Howe’s team will do just that and win 2-1 this afternoon. While the fact that Leicester have conceded just six goals at home and Newcastle just six away, with 19 goals in their last five games at the King Power might indicate a very poor game, that seems unlikely.
An away win would be massive and would really cement Newcastle’s place at the top before they meet Leeds in the final NUFC game of 2022 at SJP.
The ` Sport pundit points out that Newcastle have won their last five PL games as a big factor in their current third place in the table.
It certainly didn’t hurt, but… this was an excellent 2022 all round.
If Newcastle could end this calendar year with victories over Leicester and Leeds, Eddie Howe would have set a Newcastle United Premier League record of 36 games, 22 draws, 8 losses and 6 losses over the whole of 2022.
It would be an excellent and very happy Christmas for all of us if it’s six points from those two games we hope.
Chris Sutton speaking to ` Sport:
“It’s like starting the season (after the World Cup break).
“With almost every team, there are so many unknowns.
“Until we see everyone play it’s really hard to know what might happen.
“Both teams (Leicester and Newcastle United) were in great form ahead of the World Cup.
“Leicester had climbed up the table thanks to four wins in five league games.
“While Newcastle flew into third place with five straight league wins.
“The Foxes won that game 4-0 in December last year but Newcastle are a completely different team now.
“It’s going to be close, but I support them to find a way to win this time too.
“Prediction: Leicester 1 Newcastle 2”
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