Some interesting comments from this BBC Sport pundit on Newcastle United.
Chris Sutton wondering how teams are going to react following the World Cup.
An enforced break from league football for over six weeks for Newcastle United and the other 19 PL clubs, the BBC Sport pundit declaring ‘It’s like starting the season all over again. There are so many unknowns about almost every team. Until we see everyone play, it’s really hard to know what might happen.’
Newcastle United were the Premier League club in the very best form in October and November, picking up 22 from a possible 24 points. Leicester City picking up 16 points from a possible 24, which was a massive improvement on one point from a possible 21 in their opening seven PL matches!
Despite that, Brendan Rodgers’ team still only won at home in the Premier League against Forest and Leeds. In their other ho9ome PL games the Foxes losing to Southampton, Man Utd and Man City, drawing against Brentford and Crystal Palace.
Considering their poor home form, it is a little bizarre then that only Newcastle United (five) and Man Utd (four) have conceded less than the six goals Leicester have conceded at home. It is scoring that has been the problem at the King Power, with only three of the bottom four clubs having scored less than the nine Leicester have managed at home.
In Newcastle’s seven away PL matches that have produced an impressive three wins and three draws, plus that unlucky defeat at Anfield, only six goals conceded but a decent 12 scored. The most recent four away matches seeing NUFC score 10 goals and conceded just the three.
Chris Sutton pointing to the NUFC rise in the Autumn, declaring ‘Newcastle flew up to third with five league wins in a row’ and now a case of trying to stay up there and even possibly…improving on third place.
The BBC Sport pundit summing up what has / is happening at Newcastle United under Eddie Howe, when stating ‘The Foxes won this fixture 4-0 in December last year but Newcastle are a completely different team now.’
That was a game where everything that could go wrong, did so, an outrageous James Maddison dive winning the home side a penalty just before half-time and setting them on their way, after Newcastle had been the better team.
The previous four visits had seen Newcastle win three of them, so hopefully this tradition of regularly winning at Leicester can be repeated.
Chris Sutton predicts Eddie Howe’s team to do just that and win 2-1 this afternoon. Whilst the fact that Leicester have conceded only six at home and Newcastle leaking just six away, might point to a very low scoring game, with 19 goals in total in these last five meetings at the King Power, that looks unlikely.
An away victory would be massive and really cement Newcastle’s place towards the top end, ahead of facing Leeds at SJP in the final NUFC match of 2022.
The BBC Sport pundit points to Newcastle winning their last five PL games as the big factor in the current third place in the table.
It certainly hasn’t done any harm but.,.this has been an outstanding 2022 all round.
If Newcastle could end this calendar year with wins over Leicester and Leeds, Eddie Howe would have overseen a Newcastle United Premier League record across the whole of 2022 of Played 36 Won 22 Drawn 8 Lost 6.
It would make it an outstanding and very happy Christmas for us all if it is six points from these two games, here’s hoping.
Chris Sutton talking to BBC Sport:
“It’s like starting the season all over again (after the World Cup break).
“There are so many unknowns about almost every team.
“Until we see everyone play, it’s really hard to know what might happen.
“Both of these sides (Leicester and Newcastle United) were in great form before the World Cup.
“Leicester had climbed the table thanks to four wins in five league games.
“While Newcastle flew up to third with five league wins in a row.
“The Foxes won this fixture 4-0 in December last year but Newcastle are a completely different team now.
“It will be close but I’m backing them to find a way of winning this one too.
“Prediction: Leicester 1 Newcastle 2”