As expected, Cheick Tiote returns to the Newcastle United midfield for today’s game against Stoke City at St. James’ Park.
The good news is that goalkeeper Tim Krul is fit and will start in goal for Newcastle – Tim has never missed a Premier League game all season, but suffered a back spasm late last week.
But the rest seems to have done the trick for Tim, and Newcastle are again expected to be in a 4-3-3 formation against Stoke.
And Leon Best returns to the bench for Newcastle after recovering from his knee injury.
This is an important game for Newcastle, and they have a chance of notching their 6th win in a row against the Potters this afternoon, and possibly being 4th top of the table tonight after Tottenham play at QPR.
For Stoke this afternoon, Peter Crouch, the England striker, starts up front.
Teams:
Newcastle United (4-3-3): Tim Krul; Danny Simpson, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Davide Santon; Yohan Cabaye, Cheick Tiote, Jonas Gutierrez; Hatem Ben Arfa, Papiss Cisse, Demba Ba
Substitutes: Rob Elliot, Shane Ferguson, James Perch, Dan Gosling, Ryan Taylor, Leon Best, Shola Ameobi
Stoke Stoke City (4-4-2): Asmir Begovic; Andy Wilkinson, Robert Huth, Ryan Shawcross (c), Marc Wilson; Ryan Shotton, Glenn Whelan, Wilson Palacios, Matthew Etherington; Jonathan Walters, Peter Crouch
Substitutes: Thomas Sorensen, Matthew Upson, Dean Whitehead, Jermaine Pennant, Cameron Jerome, Ricardo Fuller, Kenwyne Jones
348 comments so far
philippealbert
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:00 PM
Comment #81I can confirm that Maldini was, in fact, left-footed.
Thump
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:01 PM
Comment #82Reading between the lines, Maldini only had one foot.
ToonDownSouth
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:02 PM
Comment #83MUTINY
The press said 442, but seeing as Ba is wide left, and Jonas is central, I think it’s obviously 433.
Thump
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:04 PM
Comment #84We can switch between the two with a moments notice, TDS so technically it’s both kind of right?
ToonDownSouth
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:07 PM
Comment #85I guess. I wouldn’t mind us having a go with 442. It’s important Ba finds his shooting boots if we’re going to have a real go in this run in.
Thump
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:08 PM
Comment #86So nervy… howay lads, where’s the energy?
Oleg G
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:08 PM
Comment #87How are we looking in the first 5 minutes?
Spuggy
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:08 PM
Comment #88We’re 4th hahahahaha! For how long?
niafron
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:09 PM
Comment #89Bonjour messieurs.
Pardew's fist pump
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:09 PM
Comment #90Ba looks out of sorts for again for me, already…..
Thump
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:10 PM
Comment #91Did they draw, Spuggy?
@Oleg: Average. Very average.
Thump
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:14 PM
Comment #92Everyone knows his name.
toonarmydownsouth
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:14 PM
Comment #93Yohannnnnnn
Pardew's fist pump
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:14 PM
Comment #94WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
Benny makes ALL the difference. Brilliant! 😀
ochytoon
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:14 PM
Comment #95GOAAALLLLLLLL
JAMSHA
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:14 PM
Comment #96cabayeeeeeeeeeeeee hahaha love arfa tooooo 🙂
2_goal_tino
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:14 PM
Comment #97Ben Arfa…. GENIUS
MUTINYbyLEMONS
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:14 PM
Comment #98Ben arfaaaaaaaa is amaaaazung, CABAYE
Toonbyblood
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:15 PM
Comment #99Nice!!
Cabaye. great run from HBA.
Brutooon
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:15 PM
Comment #100CABAYE MA MAN !!!!!!!
Oleg G
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:15 PM
Comment #101hh… Cisse didn’t score ? 🙂
HBA! HBA! HBA!
Toonbyblood
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:16 PM
Comment #102good early work from Santon too
Thump
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:16 PM
Comment #103Right lads, so, I’ve been thinking. Basically if we beat Stoke so well maybe the FA will give us an extra three points for being that bloody good 😉
Thump
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:18 PM
Comment #104Oh Cisse you sexy, sexy bas*ard
JAMSHA
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:18 PM
Comment #105hahaha cisse 🙂
toonarmydownsouth
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:18 PM
Comment #106Cissseeeeeeeee
Wor Shearer
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:18 PM
Comment #107YEAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!
Pardew's fist pump
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:18 PM
Comment #108Beatiful, simply beautiful!!!
HE SCORES WHEN HE WAAAAAAAAAAAANTS…..
😀
MUTINYbyLEMONS
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:18 PM
Comment #109CISSE IS EPIC WHAT A FINISH, CABAYE IS EPIC WHAT A PASS
Wor Shearer
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:18 PM
Comment #110Cabaye ON FIRE!!!!
toonarmydownsouth
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:19 PM
Comment #111Great ball from cabaye
Toonbyblood
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:19 PM
Comment #112cabaye —> cisse —> class
nufc786
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:19 PM
Comment #113wooooooooooooooooo
Oleg G
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:19 PM
Comment #114What was that?
What a pass by Cabaye!!!!
and again… again…. again…… 🙂 you know who it is 🙂
nufc786
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:19 PM
Comment #115smith scored for mk dons get in!!!!!!!!!
TemuriKetsbaia
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:20 PM
Comment #116That was a Barca move!
toonarmydownsouth
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:20 PM
Comment #117Ha ha ha ha alan smiths just scored for the mk dons! Its his first goal for 5 years!!!!
Oleg G
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:20 PM
Comment #118Everybody really want Ba to feel good hh… people are coming to him like he scored
ochytoon
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:20 PM
Comment #119COME ON PALACE!!! DO THE BUSINESS AGAINST READING!!!
ALSO GET IN CISSE!!!! HAHA
Pardew's fist pump
Apr 21, 2012 at 3:20 PM
Comment #120Cabaye has been awesome since we switched to the 4-3-3 he’s been brought up with.