Rafa Benitez has just announced the Newcastle team today for what could his final game in charge of Newcastle United, as we host Tottenham Hotspur in our final Premier League game for at least 15 months, after we were relegated last Wednesday night.
Teams:
Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Karl Darlow; Daryl Janmaat, Steven Taylor, Chancel Mbemba, Paul Dummett; Cheick Tiote, Jack Colback; Andros Townsend, Moussa Sissoko (c), Georginio Wijnaldum; Aleksandar Mitrovic
Substitutes: Freddie Woodman, Jamie Sterry, Jonjo Shelvey, Siem de Jong, Rolando Aarons, Ayoze Perez, Papiss Cisse
Tottenham Hotspur (4-2-3-1): Hugo Lloris (c); Kyle Walker, Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen, Ben Davies; Eric Dier, Ryan Mason; Erik Lamela, Christian Eriksen, Heung-min Son; Harry Kane
Substitutes: Michel Vorm, Danny Rose, Kevin Wimmer, Tom Carroll, Nacer Chadli, Josh Onomah, Clinton N’Jie
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Greater Manchester)
It looks Vernon Anita is injured so back comes Daryl Janmaat at right back, after he has recovered from a groin injury and he will wear a splint on the hand he smashed into the dressing room wall at Southampton at half time.
Steven Taylor comes back for perhaps his last game ever for Newcastle at center-back and Jermain Lascelles was sent home sick from training yesterday and he’s not even on the bench.
Steven may find it hard to contain Harry Kane and he will have to play a lot better than his last time out at Southampton when he was withdrawn at half time in what was at the time thought to be his last game for the Magpies.
The final change is that Aleksandar Mitrovic comes in for Papiss Cisse who is on the bench.
This could be the final games of their careers at Newcastle for Janmaat, Taylor, Tiote, Townsend, Sissoko and Wijnaldum today.
Tottenham are second top of the league and a draw would ensure they finish higher than Arsenal for the first time ever in the Premier League so they have something riding on this – Newcastle don’t other than for our lads to be professional a season when most of the have massively under-performed for the club.
If we can win this game today this would be our first double of the season after we tore Spurs apart 2-1 at White Hart Lane – but the 3 points would come too late as we are already relegated.
🙂
This is what Rafa Benitez has said about the game today:
“We know Tottenham are a good team who have done well this season.” “They will try to finish second. But we’re trying to win.”
“You can’t guarantee anything, especially in the last game and what happened on Wednesday.” “The players have trained well in the last few days. And we are trying to give something back to our fans.”
More than half the Newcastle fans think we will lose this game today.
164 comments so far
Dennis Twice
May 15, 2016 at 2:04 PM
Comment #1Attack Toon attack, attack!
Jail for Ashley
May 15, 2016 at 2:08 PM
Comment #2Lascelles injured then ?
Ron Knee
May 15, 2016 at 2:08 PM
Comment #3Steven Taylor!!!
Ron Knee
May 15, 2016 at 2:13 PM
Comment #4Lascelles is ill, apparently.
TacoFlavoredKisses ForMyBen-arfa
May 15, 2016 at 2:13 PM
Comment #5no saviet or mbabu. im guessing benitez is throwing saylor a bone as hes gonzo and i bet sterry gets on as a sub.
Nufc-83
May 15, 2016 at 2:13 PM
Comment #6Our toon he has had two serious injuries give the lad a chance for Christ sake could it not be down to bad look? if he was 24 with the same number of games I would be worried!!
rozehnal
May 15, 2016 at 2:14 PM
Comment #7We should be win this game. Benitez hopefully to stay because of the reception he will receive and Townsend deserves a good reception too, only player in my eyes that has given 100%, hope he scores today.
3 Nil to the Toon Mitrovic 2 and Townsend 1
anthc
May 15, 2016 at 2:15 PM
Comment #8Yes Steven Taylor what a joke. Obviously his swansong hopefully although being a cockney he’ll probably get another year. With him in the team that’s a defeat coming our way!!
Also daryl janmaat another who couldn’t care less. Rafa must be putting him in the shop window to get rid of him hopefully along with a few other of the starting 11.
Our Toon
May 15, 2016 at 2:18 PM
Comment #9Nufc 83
Did he not have injuries last season as well?
Jib
May 15, 2016 at 2:20 PM
Comment #10Reading between the lines , Jamaal has told a few home truths to some of the w@nkers (we know who they are) he knows won’t be here next season .
For the sake of unity in a meaningless game Rafa has separated him from todays events.
I wouldn’t like a slap off him
anthc
May 15, 2016 at 2:21 PM
Comment #11Have to agree with our toonabout about aarons. I think is is heavily overrated after less than half a dozen decent performances. God help his body when he gets older! No use being the best talent in the treatment room.
BeeGuy
May 15, 2016 at 2:21 PM
Comment #12Colbeck will have given up by minute 2. Taylor will flounder. JanMaat will look disgusted. Mitro will never see the ball. Sissiko and Winni willbe in the wrong place at the right time. Tiote will get a card. No one will pass to Dummitt. It is all so sad.
bettyswallocks
May 15, 2016 at 2:25 PM
Comment #13Jail……. Thanks for the update. I’m sure you’ll agree it ‘s prudent to notify someone of your movements for security/ health and safety reasons. Be careful and enjoy your day.
Essex Geordie Bill
May 15, 2016 at 2:28 PM
Comment #14I think it’ll be a miracle if we win this game, I can see Spurs slicing though a static defense like a hot knife though butter. Be nice to be wrong bur as I said to a friend, who is a Spurs fan, the season ended last week as far as I am concerned, roll on next season!!!
Ron Knee
May 15, 2016 at 2:31 PM
Comment #15EGB
If we can survive the first ten minutes without conceding it’ll be a miracle!
bettyswallocks
May 15, 2016 at 2:37 PM
Comment #16Jib……. Was it the telling of the home truths that made him ill?
Essex Geordie Bill
May 15, 2016 at 2:38 PM
Comment #17Frankly I cannot see how anyone can say Aarons is overrated, or for that matter underrated. He hasn’t had enough injury free on field time to make that sort of comment either way.
MacToon
May 15, 2016 at 2:47 PM
Comment #18Old Trafford evacuated due to an “incident”
Going to be one of those days! Can’t believe I’m going to watch the likes of Taylor and captain fantastic Sissoko again.
davetoon
May 15, 2016 at 2:52 PM
Comment #19Possible 45 minute delay to all games?
Bambams
May 15, 2016 at 2:55 PM
Comment #20We are worried…..
Mag52
May 15, 2016 at 3:00 PM
Comment #21This would be the game for the home fans to show their disgust at how Ashley and his cronies have led us to this ignominious relegation.
However, we’ll have plenty of occasions to do this in the future if Rafa leaves.
Today is the day we must show to Rafa Benitez just what it means to NUFC fans to keep him at our club for at least another season.
No matter what the result, a wall of sound in support of our manager is the absolute priority for today.
davetoon
May 15, 2016 at 3:03 PM
Comment #22Crowd in great form
Jib
May 15, 2016 at 3:03 PM
Comment #23Betty
The last time I recall a player being sent home ill from training on a Friday – it was Steve Taylor when Andy C broke his jaw after an argument over a bewer !
stuart no9
May 15, 2016 at 3:04 PM
Comment #24Any links
toon kk
May 15, 2016 at 3:05 PM
Comment #25Steven Taylor can only be given a game to say goodbye and good riddance.
Good job we’re not relying on him to save us.
Jib
May 15, 2016 at 3:06 PM
Comment #26Gooners 1 up already
Essex Geordie Bill
May 15, 2016 at 3:08 PM
Comment #27Just to cause a bit more stress and worry, I wonder if he has selected the players who have said they want to stay next season.
nufc786
May 15, 2016 at 3:09 PM
Comment #28Stuart np9
http://cricfree.tv/watch/live/newcastle-united-vs-tottenham-hotspur-live-streaming-1001
Jib
May 15, 2016 at 3:09 PM
Comment #29http://www.usagoals.me/football/1564594/14/newcastle-united-vs-tottenham-hotspur-live-stream-online.html
toon kk
May 15, 2016 at 3:10 PM
Comment #30Took Arsenal five minutes to do what we couldn’t do in ninety against Villa.
Man u game called off a dodgy package found.
manxpie
May 15, 2016 at 3:13 PM
Comment #31Bloody hell man u game abandoned
davetoon
May 15, 2016 at 3:16 PM
Comment #32Wow abandoned
wolfshead@toon
May 15, 2016 at 3:17 PM
Comment #33anth
taylor was born in london but hes no cockney lol
davetoon
May 15, 2016 at 3:19 PM
Comment #34Yeaaahhhh stuff those spurs
manxpie
May 15, 2016 at 3:20 PM
Comment #35Typical lol good play as well
Ron Knee
May 15, 2016 at 3:20 PM
Comment #36It’s all a bit late, Gini.
MacToon
May 15, 2016 at 3:21 PM
Comment #37Wow, we could win the league playing like this, shame it won’t be the premiership league!
I bet Spurs will be happy we’ve gone, I’m sure we’re like a bogey team to them.
one fine day
May 15, 2016 at 3:29 PM
Comment #38the cynic in me asks why no lascalles ?
offer received ? not risking him?
anyway … taylor ? wtf?
MacToon
May 15, 2016 at 3:31 PM
Comment #39Sad makems!
2_goal_tino
May 15, 2016 at 3:32 PM
Comment #40If we win this, I think I’ll actually be more annoyed about getting relegated. 6 points from the team who will finish 2nd or 3rd but we can’t beat Villa, Sunderland, Watford, Stoke or Everton in 10 games!