BBC Pundit Mark Lawrenson has given his predictions for this weekend’s Premier League fixtures. He is going against his usual tendencies in predicting a 2-1 win for Newcastle against Watford.
Here is some of Lawro’s take on the match:
You can just picture the scene at St James’ Park – there will be a full house and, after signing Wood, they will all be expecting a really good performance and a win.
Newcastle need it, not just to improve their own situation but to keep Watford right in the relegation mix as well. The problem Eddie Howe’s men have there is that, defensively, we know they are all over the place.
I still think the Magpies will win, because Watford are leaking a lot of goals and losing a lot of games, but it might be a tense finish and Newcastle will need their fans as well as Wood to get them over the line.
Newcastle need a reaction after the embarrassing defeat against Cambridge in the FA Cup. The arrival of Chris Wood gives some hope that chances will be converted. The 30-year-old should slot straight into the starting eleven tomorrow.
The full scale of the Covid issue is unknown but Eddie Howe has confirmed there are still a few cases. We do know that Callum Wilson, Fede Fernandez, Isaac Hayden, and likely Jamal Lewis are ruled out through injury. Javier Manquillo will serve his suspension after picking up five bookings.
Martin Dubravka appeared to have picked up a knock when conceding the lone goal against Cambridge. The 32-year-old was not spotted in yesterday’s training images. With Karl Darlow missing the last two matchday squads, the keeper situation may be one to watch.
Howe should be able to field a strong side tomorrow with Jamaal Lascelles available after missing the weekend. Paul Dummett could also be an option either at center-back or left-back. He made the bench for the first time last weekend.
Watford are on a horrendous stretch of seven straight defeats including their own early FA Cup exit. They have made a few signings but also have some injuries and players away at the Africa Cup of Nations to contend with.
A 2-1 win will definitely be welcome despite the agony that would entail watching it. A win and Newcastle move out of the relegation places at least for this weekend. Watford have another six-pointer at Burnley scheduled for Tuesday and then again against Norwich on Friday.
Burnley’s match this weekend has been postponed so they’ll have a number of games in hand. Next week could be a monumental one for Newcastle United. A win tomorrow, some signings early in the week, and if other fixtures go our way, we could be in much better shape when we take on Leeds next Saturday.
99 comments so far
carltoon
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:23 PM
Comment #1Adam, I know it was a joke, but i got a shock when it was in my email ready to send, ha ha I’m hopeless when it comes to things like that.
Mund
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:25 PM
Comment #2Check out the First Lady 😎
ITUNDERASHELL
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:27 PM
Comment #3So how many Watford players are out of action now we are allowed to mention COVID?
Adamn_92
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:29 PM
Comment #4ITUNDERASHELL
BLASPHEMY
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:31 PM
Comment #5carltoon – of course I have that thrill! You must have just missed some of my posts saying how thrilled I am! The very fact that I’m back on the blog shows that too.
But I’m more thrilled about actually signing Trippier and Wood than fantasising over players that we haven’t signed. I’m thrilled about Joelinton being one of our best players recently, about having a manager who wants to play decent football, thrilled to have owners with ambition, and thrilled to see some decent communication from the club.
Thrilled to read tweets linking us to players that we have no genuine interest in? Not so much…
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:31 PM
Comment #6ITUNDERASHELL – Hopefully just enough to weaken them, not so many that the game is postponed…
ITUNDERASHELL
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:32 PM
Comment #7No a genuine question … how many Watford players are a bit under the weather with the thingy!
Mund
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:33 PM
Comment #8Then what you doing on the blog? Ed and Neil write articles daily about linked players.
It’s a Newcastle United blog what do you expect to hear or read? As long as it’s relevant to the toon anything is welcome.
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:37 PM
Comment #9FFS Mund, will you stop addressing me when I am not talking to you, nor have any desire to do so. I choose to be on the blog to interact with fellow fans, which is what I’m doing. You’re just a sad little man who is here to try to feel important. And yes, that’s an insult. Kindly f**k off.
Mund
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:38 PM
Comment #10You don’t like it, do one lad
Bit of advice stop bitching and moaning about everything and do what you say you came on here to do.
ITUNDERASHELL
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:38 PM
Comment #11ToonDarnSarf
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:31 PM
Comment #6
I do not wish anyone, including Watford players, succumbing to the thingy. Just want to know which players are up against us tomorrow bro.
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:39 PM
Comment #12ITUNDERASHELL – I don’t know and to be honest, I think clubs are keeping that fairly under wraps. Firstly it’s not great to reveal too much about unavailable players to the opposing team and secondly, I think something like that has a bit of a personal nature to it. Many players will want to avoid what comes with that news so I think clubs have been pretty vague on who has it, who is isolating, and who is unavailable for other illness/injury reasons.
Adamn_92
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:40 PM
Comment #13ITUNDERASHELL
I’m not too sure, I haven’t seen Ranieri’s presser today and can’t seem to find any mentions of players missing. So potentially they have a pretty clean slate?
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:41 PM
Comment #14ITUNDERASHELL – neither do I wish it upon anyone, nor other injuries or illnesses. My point was just to say that if they have players unavailable, I hope it’s not enough to postpone the game!
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:42 PM
Comment #15Regarding Watford, I think Ranieri did say that a few players weren’t available and a few more will undergo late fitness tests (including Dennis – in FPL team) but didn’t sound like it was likely to be postponed based on what he said a few hours ago.
ITUNDERASHELL
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:44 PM
Comment #16I wonder what percentage of PL players have refused to take the remedy for the thingy and if they are allowed to play? I don’t know the answer to that by the way.
CLINT FLICK
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:46 PM
Comment #17Adamn,
Thanx for the Cisse memory, i was at that chelsea game…a whole bunch of their fans started to leave early, when they knew they were beaten, so we started to rib them…but the most mental thing happened…they turned and clapped us…presumably, for the team’s excellent display, we well beat them and, i think, ‘cos we made more noise than them all game.
Gotta say, my respect for their support went up a couple of notches that evening.
What a game…and what can you say about those 2 amazing Cisse goals?
Just wow!
What an honour to witness them!
Cheers.
Sorry for the repost, just wanted to reply to adamn.
IITianToon
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:49 PM
Comment #18@ Romford from many threads ago.. good luck to you to the Fantasy H2H. I have been a little off the FFPL grid due to personal reasons (good reasons!), so missed last week’s deadline to bring in Bowen that caused my rank to crash. This week seems to be going no better with all the uncertainty, but oh well.
Regards our pursuit of CBs, I have a strong feeling that if we get 7 points out of Watford, Leeds, and Everton, Botman and Carlos will definitely want to join and push their club’s hand. God I really hope the current team deliver in these next 3 games! Howayy the lads!
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:51 PM
Comment #19ITUNDERASHELL – I don’t really want to get into it and open that can of worms to be honest but I previously read it was over 90% have had the v and some clubs say they’re at 100%.
I believe players who haven’t are allowed to play but some managers have said they would take that into consideration when signing players, partially because of the risk of infection and partially because of the different rules for isolating.
I’d like to suggest we don’t go any deeper though…
Adamn_92
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:51 PM
Comment #20CLINT
I’ve watched that video loads of times since Cisse left us haha I still can’t believe what a midas touch when he joined that season, everything just flew in for him! Those Chelsea goals have to be up there with the best brace scored by a player in the league. Still not sure which is my favourite, the second one is obviously outrageous, but the first one has that beautiful touch to set himself up and then it just seems to fly perfectly into the corner. It’s a truly beautiful goal.
Can’t personally say anything about their supporters as I wasn’t there, but I can remember my respect for Drogba went up. Think when the second goal went in there was footage of him basically talking to and looking at Pardew in a ‘Wow, what can you do about that’ kind of way haha
ITUNDERASHELL
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:51 PM
Comment #21CLINT FLICK
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:46 PM
Comment #17
That goal Cisse scored against Chelsea was miraculous, never seen anything like it bro!
Adamn_92
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:52 PM
Comment #22*midas touch he had
Mund
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:57 PM
Comment #23Best goal I’ve ever seen and by far.
Didn’t Crouch win GOTS that year? I was livid it wasn’t Cisse’s as like I said best goal I’ve ever seen, good job he was knackered or he wouldn’t of went for it 😆
ITUNDERASHELL
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:58 PM
Comment #24ToonDarnSarf
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:51 PM
Comment #19
I agree with you, it is a topic nobody wants to talk about, although I have heard it might be as high as 25% I would never trust statistics though as they are so easy to manipulate.
3/1 win for the toon tomorrow!.
CLINT FLICK
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:58 PM
Comment #25Adamn
I think Drogba was warming up to come on…and he actually stopped, with a look of amazement, then nodded while clapping Cisse, in our direction.
Great memory!
Was also at the Southampton one where he score that other ‘worldie’ volley. Again, wow!
Bte, yea, his first v cfc was equally brilliant…a little overlooked imv.
It was ’til later that i saw it in all it’s glory, as we were at the other end. Santon played a blinder that night.
Itunder
Out of this world… literally, a worldie!!!
ITUNDERASHELL
Jan 14, 2022 at 5:00 PM
Comment #26Mund
Jan 14, 2022 at 4:57 PM
Comment #23
I remember a Roberto Carlos free-kick that went everywhere and ended up in the goal… the look on the goalies face was priceless!
Adamn_92
Jan 14, 2022 at 5:00 PM
Comment #27CLINT
Careful mentioning Santon, that’s like putting 20p into the Kets machine haha
CLINT FLICK
Jan 14, 2022 at 5:02 PM
Comment #28Mund
I met crouch, and told him that his pundits marras skanked Cisse for gots.
He laughed, was very gracious, i think he agreed.
😀
😉
CLINT FLICK
Jan 14, 2022 at 5:03 PM
Comment #29Adamn
Soz, couldn’t help it… tho’ i did consider not…
😀
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 14, 2022 at 5:05 PM
Comment #30ITUNDERASHELL – I read it was 75% who had it a few months ago but it was up to 90% recently. So you probably heard correctly at the time.
I’d be happy to discuss the topic for a while over a beer, only for a while mind you! But online it just turns into a mess so I prefer to avoid.
I’m really excited about the game tomorrow and optimistic that we can get a result! Being out of the relegation zone tomorrow would be incredible and that progress will surely help us attract more players!
Mund
Jan 14, 2022 at 5:06 PM
Comment #31ITUNDERASHELL
Was it the one at Tournoi de France?
This one…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=crKwlbwvr88
I remember watching it live at the time and was like WTF!
Mund
Jan 14, 2022 at 5:08 PM
Comment #32Clint
I know a few who have met Crouchy and they all say he is a top humble lad and good craic.
Cisse’s pissed his goal tho 😉
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 14, 2022 at 5:08 PM
Comment #33I’m nearly as tall as Crouch but damn that guy looks so much lankier than me! I don’t know how he was so good at football when his limbs look all over the place! Seems like a down to earth guy too.
ITUNDERASHELL
Jan 14, 2022 at 5:09 PM
Comment #34I agree, it tends to get so many people over-excited and heading for their particular trench rather than discuss in an adult fashion. I only mentioned it as it is directly connected to footie and therefore relevant to Newcastle United. It’s a great shame it is not allowed.
CLINT FLICK
Jan 14, 2022 at 5:12 PM
Comment #35Mund
He’s a top guy, gotta say…his mrs is also very down to earth, proper nice couple of people…
Tds
Crouch is mental tall, he seems even taller up close…hurts ya neck looking up to talk to the guy.
😀
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 14, 2022 at 5:13 PM
Comment #36ITUNDERASHELL – Agreed! Just a shame that some people can’t behave themselves. It’s like not being able to play football in the garden because of that one kid who smashes it really hard and has smashed a couple of windows…
I’ve been careful to quote what I know to be facts rather than any opinions on the topic too. Hope you appreciate that.
Wor B
Jan 14, 2022 at 5:15 PM
Comment #37Ah, IITianToon
AKA SouperstarsXI in the FPL. 🙂
Beware of Romford (darkhorse) Mag, Div1 top scorer from last week!
And while we’re on, choose your excuse for FPL negligence carefully, the minimum reasonable starting point is loss of limb.
😆
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 14, 2022 at 5:15 PM
Comment #38CLINT – I think he’s 6’7″? I’m 6’5″ so I rarely see anyone taller than me! Feels really weird when I do though. A while ago, I met a guy at my gym who was 6’8″ but the weird thing was that he was a bit arched over so it didn’t really feel like he was taller than me. My cousin is about the same height and did the same thing too. Pretty sure Crouch would stand tall!
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 14, 2022 at 5:16 PM
Comment #39Wor B – is there a FPL league for the blog or just a H2H?
Mund
Jan 14, 2022 at 5:19 PM
Comment #40Clint
Aye Abby ain’t bad mate 😉