Newcastle put in a good performance last week to draw 1-1 with Chelsea at St. James’ Park, and we had Chieck Tiote back from suspension, and the Ivorian was simply outstanding for Newcastle in the middle of the park.

Joey Barton –  key player for Magpies on his return

And today at the Hawthorns Newcastle have another one of their best players back from suspension, and we are hoping Joey Barton will show us today what we’ve been missing in his absence, just as Cheick did last weekend.

And it turns out that Newcastle are meeting West Brom at an advantageous time, because not only have they got a lot on players out injured today but they struggled in the league in November.

In their six league games last month, their only win was last week when they hammered Everton 4-1 at Goodison, a great result, but in their other 5 games they lost 4 and drew the other at Upton Park.

So they have not done well in their last 6 league games with just 4 points, contrasted to Newcastle who have 8 points from their last 6 league games but only two points from our last four.

It’s also 5 games since we last won away at Arsenal, so Newcastle are surely due a win ….  aren’t we?

West Brom have doubts today about the fitness of Chris Brunt, Paul Scharner, Peter Odemwingie, James Morrison and Nicky Shorey, and also Youssouf Mulumbu will definitely be missing, as he serves the second game of his two-match ban.

Newcastle will be strengthened from last week’s side with the expected return of the impressive Joey Barton, so it seems all set up that if Newcastle can play at or near their best,  we could get the win this afternoon.

But as we all know, logic doesn’t seem to mean too much this season in the Premier League, not only in Newcastle’s games, but in most of the games, where shocks continue to happen every week.

If there’s a surprise result today, let’s have it be bottom of the league West Ham winning at Sunderland. 😀

Comments welcome.