Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez has just named his team which he hopes will break our two-game losing streak at Watford this afternoon.
There are two changes with Manquillo coming in for DeAndre Yedlin at right back and Murphy coming in for Matt Ritchie on the right wing.
Both Matt Ritchie and DeAndre Yedlin are on the bench today.
Jacob Murphy – get a start today
TEAM NEWS: Here's how Newcastle United will line up at @WatfordFC this afternoon (kick-off 3pm BST). #NUFC pic.twitter.com/sj0ao8cY5M
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) May 5, 2018
Newcastle have not played well in the last two games, and it’s not a lack of effort but more a lack of intensity in our play.
If we can fix that today we have a decent chance of winning this game.
Good news today with Rafa Benitez nominated as Premier League Manager of the Year, and he’s one of six candidates named.
The other candidates are Chris Hughton of Brighton, Pep Guardiola of Manchester City, Jurgen Klopp of Liverpool, Burnley’s Sean Dyche and Crystal Palace’s Roy Hodgson.
Let’s hope we can get a win today at Vicarage Road – that’s what we really need to ensure we can finish 10th in the league.
Almost half our fans think we can win this game.
Howay The Lads!!
257 comments so far
ben.g
May 5, 2018 at 10:56 PM
Comment #241I’m having doubts about Rafa signing a new deal at the minute.
Wonder if that is affecting the players.
If does not sign I wonder if he will see the last year out.
ben.g
May 5, 2018 at 10:58 PM
Comment #242We would of bitten the premier leagues hand off if they had offered us 16/17th at January
jane
May 5, 2018 at 11:14 PM
Comment #243Darren Moore’s record as caretaker manager of WBA
home draw v Swansea
away win v Man Utd
home draw v Liverpool
away win v Newcastle
home win v Spurs
very impressive puts the previous manager to even more shame!
jane
May 5, 2018 at 11:17 PM
Comment #244“it would be good if West Brom still have a chance of staying up to make it harder for Palace.”
just realised they will still.
Nicky the ball tosser
May 5, 2018 at 11:21 PM
Comment #245Beautiful pass, cross and finish. That’s fitba!
jane
May 5, 2018 at 11:31 PM
Comment #246“There’s no way Hippo heid will be at Goodison
next season surely !!!!!!”
he has another year on his contract and surely the owner will be happy with him.
lesh
May 6, 2018 at 1:51 AM
Comment #247It appears that Bishop’s managed to rein in the help of one of the Independent’s sports writers to start discrediting Rafa. Shame in the pair of them.
But on the upside, fans have reacted to the piece and there’s some Liverpool fans among them. Good for them.
https://www.themag.co.uk/2018/05/national-journalist-takes-newcastle-fans-criticises-rafa-benitez-one-winner-newcastle-united/
Could this be a good time for Wor Flags to be creative in supporting Rafa and those fans at matches to.let their feelings and support for him be heard? Is it too much for the Chronicle’s writers to really get behind Rafa and his ambition for Newcastle United. Maybe they could publicly ask Ashley what his aims are for the club he owns?
It’s time to let the world know what’s going on, how Ashley continues to strangle the club
ilovetoon8788
May 6, 2018 at 2:03 AM
Comment #248I said some time ago. We’ll end the season with 5 defeats in a row.. Lol.
one fine day
May 6, 2018 at 3:25 AM
Comment #249Ilovetoon8788,
Pathetic
You must be gutted we are not relegated ?
Never mind on the bright side no need to queue to guarantee your little pink seat next year lol
Jib
May 6, 2018 at 7:02 AM
Comment #250Lesh
You remind me of Americans of the Iron curtain era
who saw commies everywhere “reds under the bed”
Criticism of Rafa is not always orchestrated by Keith Bishop
old bean.
The writer of the Independent article , Ed Malyon (28) studied Spanish
and Portuguese at Manchester University. He first worked for
Trinity Mirror in 2011 as a freelance.
He then went as the Mirror’s foreign sports correspondent living
in Madrid. He’s a Real Madrid fan and because he speaks Portuguese
did a few interviews with CR7.
Are you starting to get the picture yet ?
When I talk to any Spanish acquaintances who support Real there is always
a sly dig at Rafa lurking just under the surface – they cannot help themselves.
Jib
May 6, 2018 at 7:08 AM
Comment #251Jeez
I’m pleased we’re not involved in the dog fight at the bottom
any one of West Ham Huddersfield Southampton Swansea
could join West Brom and Stoke and even they could be safe !!!
Can you imagine what the atmosphere on this blog would be like ?
Jib
May 6, 2018 at 7:11 AM
Comment #252It would be awful if you were called Lawrence and
a friend died and you texted his wife.
Sorry to hear of your loss Lol
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
May 6, 2018 at 8:36 AM
Comment #253Dummett – 5.3
Murphy – 6.3
Kenedy – 6.3
Manquillo – 6.5
Gayle. – 6.5
Lejeune – 6.7
Diame – 6.9
Was it really that bad. A shame Joselu didn’t play maybe he could have even Murphy’s score out!
Jib
May 6, 2018 at 8:53 AM
Comment #254I can’t help feeling that because we were safe
Rafa picked a weakened team to help out a fellow
Spanish manager.
I know he wasn’t very happy when Soton sacked
Mauricio Pellegrino after we beat them 3 – 0.
When SBR was at SJP there was a few games
I watched against relegation sides that had strange
selections and a few guys used to say that was Sir Bobby
taking it easy on a fellow manager.
lochinvar
May 6, 2018 at 9:08 AM
Comment #255Now that we’re safe I just wonder if Rafa has indicated to individual players what his future plans for them are and maybe that in part has reflected on their performances in the last three matches.
Or was last Tuesday’s soire at the Training Ground to outline other situations and that also has had some impact.
Jib
May 6, 2018 at 9:15 AM
Comment #256Feel free to give the Everton v Southampton ref
Jon Moss as much abuse as you can
a He’s a headmaster
b He was born in Sunderland
Jib
May 6, 2018 at 9:20 AM
Comment #257This should be resurrected
https://www.change.org/p/the-football-association-ban-jonathan-moss-from-refereeing