Newcastle have just announced an unchanged side form the one that has won the last two games against Liverpool and Tottenham so Steve McClaren has resisted the temptation to start either Aleksandar Mitrovic or Ayoze Perez up front.
However, we should see both young strikers sometime in the second half today.
Newcastle (4-4-1-1): Rob Elliot; Daryl Janmaat, Chancel Mbemba, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Paul Dummett; Moussa Sissoko, Vurnon Anita, Jack Colback, Georginio Wijnaldum; Siem de Jong; Papiss Cisse
Substitutes: Karl Darlow, Kevin Mbabu, Cheick Tiote, Yoan Gouffran, Florian Thauvin, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Ayoze Perez
Cheick Tiote as expected comes in on the subs bench for Jamie Sterry, after he’s fit again after his groin injury.
Newcastle have a decent chance of making it three wins in a row today.
This is what Newcastle manager Steve McClaren has said about our opponents today – Aston Villa:
“We’re sixth in the form guide over the last eight games. Consistency is key and getting consistent performance is a platform.”
“Villa is a totally different game. I’ve watched them three or four times and they have very good players.” “How Villa are only on six points, I don’t know because they have very good players.”
“Let’s not get expectations high. We have to do exactly what we have been doing to get results.” “The key is us and the crowd. The key word tomorrow for everybody is patience.”
“Aston Villa is an opportunity and a challenge to kick on and go on. Can we take it? Are we ready to do it?”
At the time of writing two clubs below us – Chelsea (beating Sunderland 3-1) and Norwich (winning 2-1 at Old Trafford) are both winning – and Bournemouth are 1-0 up against 10 man West Brom – so we have to get 3 points from this game.
And as many as seven in ten fans thinks we can win this game today, so it will be a massive disappointment if we don’t do that.
Howay The Lads!!
309 comments so far
catchy in norway
Dec 19, 2015 at 4:34 PM
Comment #1come on stoke
SUTTY1978
Dec 19, 2015 at 4:35 PM
Comment #2Need a win just to tread water, results couldn’t have been much worse for us today.
lesh
Dec 19, 2015 at 4:36 PM
Comment #3Cmon Manure as well!
WWSBRD
Dec 19, 2015 at 4:36 PM
Comment #4Should be battering this shoddy Villa team
I will be in the minority no doubt but am quite happy Cisse and de Jong retain their spots
toonking
Dec 19, 2015 at 4:37 PM
Comment #5catchy in pardew land.
AncientC
Dec 19, 2015 at 4:38 PM
Comment #6https://twitter.com/AVFCOfficial/status/678250954257514496
Happy days lol.
Ron Knee
Dec 19, 2015 at 4:38 PM
Comment #7The Albion equalise.
toonking
Dec 19, 2015 at 4:38 PM
Comment #8The team we should all be cheering as neutrals is leicester
COME ON LEICESTER
catchy in norway
Dec 19, 2015 at 4:39 PM
Comment #9toonking
doning what you asked, and palace have been dreadful.
toonking
Dec 19, 2015 at 4:41 PM
Comment #10other than those still interested in pardew who else gives a sh1t.
COME ON LEICESTER
catchy in norway
Dec 19, 2015 at 4:45 PM
Comment #11dosnt look like villa fans hold much faith in there team selection.
6-0 to us
catchy in norway
Dec 19, 2015 at 4:45 PM
Comment #12what a goal for palace
wow
Ron Knee
Dec 19, 2015 at 4:46 PM
Comment #13Bournemouth in the lead again.
catchy in norway
Dec 19, 2015 at 4:47 PM
Comment #14we need Butland
lesh
Dec 19, 2015 at 4:49 PM
Comment #15Results not going too well for us today – a thumping win’s a must!
Hail Wor Ashley
Dec 19, 2015 at 4:49 PM
Comment #16Leicester just aren’t letting up are they? Fantastic to see.
toonking
Dec 19, 2015 at 4:49 PM
Comment #17This team today part of me feels happy about it but then again the other half feels not so keen on it. villa are unlikely to create much space inside there own box therefore our best way of getting the goals is via great movement or strength something cisse provides neither of.
bring on the likes of perez and mitro as sub did prove a good use in the last two games but villa is a team who’ll feel much less tired and very little threat to us at all.
Lindisfarne
Dec 19, 2015 at 4:52 PM
Comment #18I predict we will win today and be a win away from 12th position, obviuosly depending on results elsewhere. Slightly optimistic, but better than pursuing an inevitable relegation battle.
toonking
Dec 19, 2015 at 4:54 PM
Comment #19very bad super 6 this week
I went
chelsea 2-1 scums
manure 1-0 norwich
everton 3-2 leicester
southampton 1-2 spurs- might get a late goal
stoke 1-0 palace
west brom 1-2 bournmouthe
toonking
Dec 19, 2015 at 4:54 PM
Comment #20* west brom 1-1
toonking
Dec 19, 2015 at 4:58 PM
Comment #21away wins seem to be the winning teams only scum lost
will die for the toon army
Dec 19, 2015 at 4:59 PM
Comment #22Now the pressure is on us.
Chelski Bornemouth Norwich have all won.
JDdubai
Dec 19, 2015 at 5:00 PM
Comment #23Really need the win with Norwich and Bmouth winning. Though if we do we go only 2 points behind 12th!!!
Not happy with Cisse starting but come on lads, go hard from the start, hope the fans are lively today, normally the atmosphere at the late games is electric.
Toon Tang
Dec 19, 2015 at 5:02 PM
Comment #24Can we replicate Bournemouth and get the 3rd straight win?
Hail Wor Ashley
Dec 19, 2015 at 5:02 PM
Comment #25If we win today and Swansea win tomorrow, anybody from Watford and below could still go down quite easily.
Toon Tang
Dec 19, 2015 at 5:03 PM
Comment #26Stay tuned to find out…
catchy in norway
Dec 19, 2015 at 5:04 PM
Comment #27JD
im not really happy for Cisse to start this game, but if im honest i think its for his own good, this is the type of game and team where he should score and SDJ come to think of it, then really push on in the second half, get Florian on in the second half build his confidence
Hail Wor Ashley
Dec 19, 2015 at 5:05 PM
Comment #28JDubai
Usually are when we play big teams, it’s not just the players that can be accused of only turning up for the big televised matches, the supporters in these types of games often come and sit in silent expectation until something happens, either we score then party atmosphere ensues, we concede and things gets ugly, or we struggle on and on and they get frustrated, need to be behind the team from the start, making noise.
Thump
Dec 19, 2015 at 5:07 PM
Comment #29I can’t help but feel that Sting and Cisse are starting because of some FM-like “I need to be starting more games, boss” talk in the backroom.
sparky55
Dec 19, 2015 at 5:08 PM
Comment #30Me heart says we’ll stuff ’em….me head is not quite as confident…got this horrible banana skin feeling going on…hope we go 2 up in the first half hour to calm me nerves.
Siem to score first, Papisse 2 and gini 2
5-1 happy days 🙂 🙂
Happy days
lukes26
Dec 19, 2015 at 5:09 PM
Comment #31im really shocked SDJ is starting
im a huge fan of his, but seems to be well off being match fit.
im slightly less shocked at cisse starting..would prefer mitro. cisse has been better this season than the previous 2 though.
catchy in norway
Dec 19, 2015 at 5:12 PM
Comment #32luke
i think he has been decent in recent weeks
John Tudor
Dec 19, 2015 at 5:14 PM
Comment #33demos at manure
Hail Wor Ashley
Dec 19, 2015 at 5:15 PM
Comment #34So how would you suppose SDJ get match-fit Lukes, other than by playing matches?
Hopefully see his real class today in a game where we’re on the front foot against a lesser team than his previous 2 starts, although Cisse does seem a difficult player to get on the same wavelength as, but even he has looked more sprightly recently, if not the deadly finisher he was on his arrival.
AncientC
Dec 19, 2015 at 5:19 PM
Comment #35http://freecast.in/frame2.html
HD link, for anybody that needs one.
bladeuser
Dec 19, 2015 at 5:20 PM
Comment #36cisse is a joke striker perez all day the kid will leave if a top offer comes in
ASH OUT
SMAC OUT
COLO OUT
SHEEP Out
lukes26
Dec 19, 2015 at 5:22 PM
Comment #37Hail..you may be right
catchy…yeah, i thought he had good movement for the first 30 minutes last week. i think when he’s 100 % he’ll be undroppable
MacToon
Dec 19, 2015 at 5:25 PM
Comment #38Jose at man u before the New Year?
MacToon
Dec 19, 2015 at 5:28 PM
Comment #39beermonkey, you asked about Kodi earlier. Robinhood Project has 1 or 2 HD channels showing the game. Try through NJM soccer or Noney sports 😉
Phoenix seem to have stopped their decent streams.
Hail Wor Ashley
Dec 19, 2015 at 5:30 PM
Comment #40Josa to Man U would be wrong for both parties I feel and Jose would best avoid if he doesn’t want to do further damage to his reputation. Think he’ll wind up at Bayern, only major league he hasn’t managed in and if Guardiola does announce he’s leaving then I reckon it’s a cert.