Rafa Benitez has just announced his team for the tough game against Manchester City at St. James’ Park tonight and Rafa has dropped Gini Wijnaldum after another poor game on Saturday against Swansea..
Teams:
Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Karl Darlow; Vurnon Anita, Chancel Mbemba, Jamaal Lascelles, Paul Dummett; Cheick Tiote, Jack Colback; Andros Townsend, Ayoze Perez, Moussa Sissoko (c); Papiss Cisse
Substitutes: Freddie Woodman, Henri Saivet, Jonjo Shelvey, Siem de Jong, Georginio Wijnaldum, Rolando Aarons, Aleksandar Mitrovic
Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Joe Hart; Pablo Zabaleta, Vincent Kompany (c), Eliaquim Mangala, Aleksandar Kolarov; Fernando, Fabian Delph; Jesus Navas, Yaya Toure, Kevin De Bruyne; Sergio Aguero
Substitutes: Willy Caballero, Martin Demichelis, Nicolas Otamendi, Fernandinho, Raheem Sterling, Kelechi Iheanacho, Wilfried Bony
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)
So Rafa doesn’t mess around – if you don’t produce the goods whoever you are – he will drop you as Wijnaldum has found out.
Perez comes into the starting line-up and he could play the number 10 roles behind Cisse which Sissoko could also play.
Mitrovic again starts the game on the bench but he makes a massive contribution when he comes on as a sub and that’s what Rafa will be hoping for but we need to see him on before the last 10 minutes.
And Henri Savet is back on the bench which is what Rafa said during the press conference yesterday.
If we are to avoid the drop then we need at least three more wins in our last five games – so the lads and Rafa will be going all out for the 3 points tonight.
Here’s what Rafa said about the opposition:
“When you talk about the top sides, they have enough good players to change if it’s necessary,” “I think Pellegrini was protecting some players, like Silva maybe, and I think that he will make some substitutions but they will still have a very good team.”
“The main thing for me is that we have to perform at the level that we performed the other day, and then we will have a chance.”
“If we believe, like we did from the first minute to the last minute against Swansea, we can beat anyone. Obviously City are a great team and it will be very difficult, but we have nothing to lose at the moment.”
“If we can do well, we will have more confidence, and if we get three points we will have even more belief.”
“They are really focused, and I think that they can handle the pressure. If you feel a bit of anxiety, what you have to do is run, fight, and give everything on the pitch,”
“I have seen their game against Chelsea and they did really well. “
“For us, when you play in the semi-final of the Champions League and you know what you can achieve, I think they will keep an eye on the Champions League and hopefully we can take advantage of that.”
Just less than one in three fans think we will this game tonight.
Loading ...
NUFC News 24/7 
287 comments so far
Vask
Apr 19, 2016 at 6:50 PM
Comment #1Interesting selection…
Let’s see if it pays off.
Lindisfarne
Apr 19, 2016 at 6:53 PM
Comment #2http://swissramble.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/newcastle-united-what-waste.html?spref=tw
Bearsize
Apr 19, 2016 at 6:54 PM
Comment #3If carlsberg did toon sub benches
martoon
Apr 19, 2016 at 6:55 PM
Comment #4Brave to drop Gini I would start Mitro myself. On way to match fingers crossed 🙂
toon kk
Apr 19, 2016 at 6:56 PM
Comment #5We’re playing a much stronger team than Swansea, so we’ll have to really raise our game or we’ll be embarrassed.
AncientC
Apr 19, 2016 at 6:56 PM
Comment #6Back to the 4-2-3-1 again, according to nufc.co.uk
Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Mangala, Kompany (C), Kolarov, Fernando, Delph, Toure, Navas, De Bruyne, Aguero
Subs | Caballero, Iheanacho, Bony, Fernandinho, Sterling, Otamendi, Demichelis
Perez and his slippery style, ghosting in against Mangala could be an interesting prospect.
stuart no9
Apr 19, 2016 at 6:58 PM
Comment #7i suppose w’ell just have to carry cisse untill he gets subbed . i hope rafa dosnt wait till the 80th minute like he did on saturday. My gut feeling is rafa will regret starting cisse .
AncientC
Apr 19, 2016 at 6:59 PM
Comment #8Cisse is bound to be due a goal. He has dry patches, but his overall goal stats are generally good.
catchy in norway
Apr 19, 2016 at 6:59 PM
Comment #9squeaky bum time
The next Mike Williamson
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:00 PM
Comment #10Our bench cost 50m
midweek weekend
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:00 PM
Comment #11wish mitro was starting other than that im quite happy with it, regardless who we play upfront its going to be a tough game, hopefully we can still be in it at half time, cant see aguero or KDB playing the full 90, so wishful thinking but 0-0 at half time they come off and gives us a real chance, cause if we are wining at the break they will stay on until the jobs done,
im going for a very unrealistic 2-0 with townsend scoring first
The next Mike Williamson
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:00 PM
Comment #12cities cost about 150m 🙁
sing in the corner
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:01 PM
Comment #13Ouch! Was hoping de Brunei and / or aguero would take be starting. Fix bayonets!
sing in the corner
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:01 PM
Comment #14*De bruyne… *Wouldn’t be starting. Ffs
AncientC
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:02 PM
Comment #15I would take 0-0 after 75 minutes, over us scoring and going into the lead in the first 10 minutes.
I am not sure there is enough confidence in the side to take an early lead against Man City, then expand on it and go for another.
Toon Tang
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:03 PM
Comment #16Gini needs a good booting in the rear cavity so hopefully this will achieve it.
He’ll be walking home with 3 shoes on, 2 on his feet and 1 in his arse.
LGFUAD21
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:03 PM
Comment #17Think he’s right to drop Gini
I think mitro should be starting.
Rafa clearly knows what he gets from cisse. Even if some can’t see it, it looks like he has a plan.
Anyone know whose wide. Perez or moussa.
If moussa is central then good. Otherwise Gini for perez is much the same. Both get lost in games.
midweek weekend
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:04 PM
Comment #18@15
it’s an interesting one with citeh, scoring to early could actually be a bad thing, i think get to the 2nd half level and there most dangerous players will come off since they have to think about the champions league semi, which then gives us a great chance to take the lead in the last 15 and hold on for dear life, cant see it happening like that tonight but would be nice haha
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:04 PM
Comment #19What I like about Benitez is he is willing to drop players if they are not doing the business Perez has looked good in the last few games when he has come off the bench so probably deserves his chance
Would love it to give Wijnaldum the reality check he needs for him to get the finger out !
Still going to be a tough game tonight if we can get anything it will be a huge result !
Dennis Twice
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:06 PM
Comment #20Attack Toon attack, attack!
Toon Tang
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:07 PM
Comment #21What special skills does Cisse bring to the table? He hasn’t scored in about 1 1/2 seasons and gives possession over to the opposition too easily in the form of offsides.
Do they have offside bets at the online bookmakers?
Toon Tang
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:09 PM
Comment #22Yes dennis! Get yourself in that changing room and give them players hell.
TudorCrisps
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:11 PM
Comment #23Like the bench by the way lads, hopefully 0-0 by the break then maybe snatch a late winner with some class subs.
any decent links without pop ups of big nobs on the screen?
Toonacious T
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:13 PM
Comment #24Happy enough with that selection given our options. I think Mitro is so slow he is better suited to coming on after defences have been stretched and tired a bit. Gini has been anonymous for several games running now so we can’t afford to have any passengers. We will be really on Sissoko and Townsend to run the channels and give the defence a break. Given the form of City, their points tally, their individual players and the fact we have suffered 12 consecutive defeats against them, it is pretty safe to say we need a massive slice of luck, our lads to play out of their skins, their lads to not be up for it, and Rafa to get the strategy and tactics spot on to even get a point. I can’t see us shutting out Aguero and De Bruyne tbh so we will need to score 3 to get anything I’m thinking but would love to be proved wrong. More than anything we need a big performance, the crowd lifted early and no major damage to our goal difference and team morale. I’m hoping and praying for a football miracle at SJP tonight but I’m definitely living in hope more than expectation.
stuart no9
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:14 PM
Comment #25to be honest , i cant see where our goals are going to come from tonight,
On saturday we didnt look like scoring in the 2nd half untill cisse went off and mitro mugged a couple of swanseas players , can you see cisse doing that ?? not on your life, so im predicting we wont wont score untill mitro comes on ( half time i hope)
ToonDarnSarf
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:19 PM
Comment #26Anyone know what channel I might be able to watch the match in The Netherlands?
Shearer.Milburn
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:19 PM
Comment #27TUDOR it’s on sky sports so loads of links. Try lshunter.net or if you’re on the mobile or tablet try http://m.liveonlinetv247.info/
TudorCrisps
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:21 PM
Comment #28cheers Shearer pal appreciate it
manxpie
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:22 PM
Comment #29haha lascelles is giving everyone shit, shelvey now!
he must be a proper hard bastard although i notice he hasn’t had a go at mitro yet
good line up and glad wiji has been dropped
cisse 1st goal scorer he’s due 1
ToonDarnSarf
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:23 PM
Comment #30I’m in a hotel so unlikely to be able to stream. Hoping it’s on a channel somewhere so I can turn it on in the room or find it in the hotel bar.
mattyNUFC
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:24 PM
Comment #31best site i’ve found over the past year is
eplsite.com
always a few good links minimum
mattyNUFC
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:26 PM
Comment #32manxpie
where? or are you at the stadium/watching warm up on tb?
Toon Tang
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:27 PM
Comment #33Manx
He’ll get his baldy heed dusted if he raises his voice to Uncle chop chop haha
Back Door Man
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:28 PM
Comment #34Toondarnsarf – go to nufc.com, they have a list of all legit transmissions abroad. I’m sure they’ll list one for your location.
manxpie
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:29 PM
Comment #35nah matty its just said on the tv its in the programme notes
lascelles said shelvey is the worst trainer and when its not going his way he’s useless or words to that effect
lukes26
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:29 PM
Comment #36The cisse selection doesnt surprise me. There’s something special about him when he’s healthy..ball comes off his feet in a different way than it does for any other player ive ever seen. poor man’s van persie in some ways
ToonDarnSarf
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:30 PM
Comment #37Horrible dodgy streaming sites keep trying to install things and my virus protector goes crazy. Horrible popups keep trying to open too.
ToonDarnSarf
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:30 PM
Comment #38Thanks!
mattyNUFC
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:32 PM
Comment #39in the programme notes? that seems unnecessarily divisive, unless they were supposed to be made in jest
not criticizing jamaal, as i agree wholeheartedly with him, but rather the club. but i guess oversights are nothing new, big or small.
anyway, feel good about today. i’ll be dreaming of a win until we don’t
Toon Tang
Apr 19, 2016 at 7:34 PM
Comment #40TDS, I’ve not got any antivirus on this laptop of mine so I’ve given up on the streaming sites till I’ve sorted it. Every site I go on tries giving me full blown virtual aids.