Newcastle get an early start to this weekend with a trip to Nottingham Forest on Friday. Eddie Howe and the boys will hope to seize the momentum from their 2-1 win over Wolves and further enhance their claim for a European place.
Howe made significant changes last weekend resulting in the first league win in almost two months. The front three was completely altered and we could see Howe stick with the trio of Alexander Isak, Jacob Murphy, and Allan Saint-Maximin.
Isak has captured our poll as the Man of the Match by a very healthy margin. The striker bagged Newcastle’s opening goal with a superb header, the fifth goal of his Magpie career.

Equally impressive was Joe Willock as he put in a monster performance. The midfielder came in for the suspended Joelinton and will be relied on once again at the City Ground on Friday.
There will be extra emphasis to pick up three points with the international break looming afterward. Newcastle will head off to Dubai for some warm-weather training. It will be that much more exhilarating on the back of two wins.
It will be a difficult task with Forest enmeshed in a survival fight. They hold a tenuous two-point lead over the bottom three in what is shaping up to be a relegation battle involving 9 clubs.
Those scraps are behind Newcastle this year as they keep pace with the top six. A claim that can be further cemented with a timely victory on Friday.

212 comments so far
geordie157
Mar 14, 2023 at 2:30 PM
Comment #201Shame on Dujuan Richards heading to Chelsea and not us, he’ll end up being one of their 30-40 players out on loan for the next 3-5 years.
Although Potter may have had some influence tbf.
Ap
Mar 14, 2023 at 2:31 PM
Comment #202Tell him he can be 3rd striker in 1st team
ToonDarnSarf
Mar 14, 2023 at 2:32 PM
Comment #203TS – I’ve absolutely nothing against Murphy getting a few starts this season if it’s tactically the right thing to do, Almiron needs a rest, or Murphy is just nailing it in training. Like you say, he’s not the answer long-term and none of the teams we’re competing with for the top 4 will be playing a winger as limited as him. Almiron has his limitations too but he’s definitely contributed this season.
If we have to play players like Manq, Murphy, or Anderson for any period of time this season, I won’t be happy. Obviously I’d be even more concerned if we’re playing Dummett, Lewis, Fraser, or Ritchie too!
Ap
Mar 14, 2023 at 2:32 PM
Comment #204Then why cant we loan him off chelsea 😀
geordie157
Mar 14, 2023 at 2:33 PM
Comment #205Saw an article on Kraft which made me think by the end of the season if everyone is fit we could have a line up and bench that looks pretty good
Pope
Trippier, Schar, Botman, Targett
Willock, Bruno, Joelinton
Almiron, Isak, Saint-Maximin
that’s our strongest XI in my opinion
subs
Dubravka
Kraft
Lascelles
Burn
Longstaff
Anderson
Murphy
Gordon
Wilson
ToonDarnSarf
Mar 14, 2023 at 2:35 PM
Comment #206geordie157 – they (I think the PL) have set a limit on the number of players a PL team can loan out. This seems to have been done to counter the Chelsea model of hoarding all the best young players. I think the limit is 8 but not sure if that’s from next season or in a few seasons.
Transfer Sage
Mar 14, 2023 at 2:37 PM
Comment #207TDS
I’d be less worried if we had to play Murphy for the rest of the season than the other you mention but if we were having to play him, it would mean a few injuries to wide men which would be a worry (if that makes sense).
Like we all keep saying, this summer will be a big window for us. If we can attract new sponsorship, we’ll hopefully be able to bring in a few players as fees will be spread over the 4/5 year contracts they’ll likely get, so a decent increase to our revenue should allow us a good bit of spending power.
Ty21
Mar 14, 2023 at 2:37 PM
Comment #208geordie157
Doubt that kid even know who Potter is. I mean, when he reject one of the world best academy for Chelsea, you can roughly guess what fuel the move.
geordie157
Mar 14, 2023 at 2:40 PM
Comment #209TDS ah I didn’t know that, that’s good to know! Was silly the season they had something like 40 players out on loan!!
Ty21, it’s purely going to be down to money.
geordie157
Mar 14, 2023 at 2:44 PM
Comment #210Something funny about to happen on my FM23 game, Spurs might get relegated, Kane out injured and 5 games to go. Rest of the table looks as it should apart from I’m clearly no Howe, I’m 13th with 9th the best I can achieve
cleveleysbob
Mar 14, 2023 at 2:47 PM
Comment #211I’ve watched Parliament live on many, many occasions but my God it’s mostly as dull as dishwater! Also, I find a lot of the theatrics carried out on fixed occasions like PMQ’s and the Budget are simply childish, boorish and saddening. 🙁
I think we’d all benefit from real factual evenhanded reporting of Stats, events, viewpoints etc.
Unfortunately we don’t get that from anywhere so views are polarised by whoever your choice of reading or viewing are. I’ve stopped watching mainstream news coverage on TV and no longer read any Newspapers, preferring to do my own Independent research into topics. I recommend this to the House. A little “in joke” there. 😀
DrGloom
Mar 14, 2023 at 2:52 PM
Comment #212” In the 2021-22 season, Chelsea had 23 players out on loan at various clubs. The club loan out academy players to experience regular first-team football. They also loan out players who become surplus to requirements. This system will have to change at the earliest. New rules will soon be implemented restricting the number of players that can go out on loan.
Starting in the 2022-2023 season, clubs will be able to loan out eight players. That number will be reduced to six by 2024-2025. These rules will not apply to U-21 players or academy trained players. ”
Not sure what they’ve done with the 15 players that returned and they couldn’t loan out