Newcastle face Brighton in an FA Cup fifth round tie at St. James’ Park today. The Magpies will hope to continue a second domestic cup journey with a win. Newcastle have a date at Wembley for the Carabao Cup finals against Liverpool in two weeks.
Newcastle are coming off a defeat at Anfield in mid-week. However, they were without star striker Alexander Isak who returns today along with midfielder Joelinton. Newcastle are close to being at full strength.
This is the team Eddie Howe has selected with quite a few changes.
Up for the cup! ? pic.twitter.com/YWanrAhEAn
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) March 2, 2025
Here is who Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has named. Yankuba Minteh gets the start at St. James’ Park.
TEAM NEWS! ? Here's our starting XI to face Newcastle in the FA Cup. ?? pic.twitter.com/SswW4NCp2Z
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) March 2, 2025
Howay The Lads!
863 comments so far
lochinvar
Mar 10, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Comment #841Looking ahead to Sunday.
Just cancelled some hotel rooms that had been nearly double what they are now offering for late bookings. Bloody rip off merchants, inflated rates, have failed to fill rooms so now offering late deals. Saving some dollar and going to stay with some relatives in North London. Bit awkward as they’re Arsenal ST holders so we’re kicked out the house Sunday morning before they head off to the Emirates.
London will be heaving with fans Arsenal play Chelsea, Fukham play Spurs, before Toon v Scousers.
Thnaks to the mad ballot system couldn’t book two tickets together intitally and two fiferent ballots, but subsequently end up same block, 8 seats apart. Bunk along lads !
Need the 3 points tonight.
HWTL
Wor B
Mar 10, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Comment #842Haha, Stand up the contrarian blogger 😆
Yikes! Hope it’s not me. 😳
onmeedsun
Mar 10, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Comment #843Eddie will put a team out to go for the win as we don’t play again in the league until 2/4, which is just bonkers. But the players are bound to hold a bit back with the final looming. And with 3 first teamers missing our options for rotating are limited. I have concluded that the Caraboa cup is a bit of a poisoned chalice as if you go all the way you have a lot a extra games pre Xmas, and the timing of the final impacts on league games at a critical time. My preference would be an FA cup run and to drop out the Caraboa early. I think it would help concentrate the minds on our league form right to the end of the season. Problem of course is you can drop out the Caraboa and that get a stinking fa cup draw.
The reality is never mind Europe, our squad struggles to handle domestic cups alongside the league.
Our squad needs a dramatic rebuild in the summer.
cyprus
Mar 10, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Comment #844M,
Consistent two halves? What’s that mean? 😉
Does anyone seriously think we’re going to finish above city? Me, no.
So that leaves Forest, who just beat City and have a decent run in.*
I’m preparing my grovelling apology re forest, I thought by now they’d have fallen behind.
On tonight, just a decent display and a result please. Most importantly, no injuries!
cyprus
Mar 10, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Comment #845And only knowledgeable fans may respond to this. *
Is it 4 or 5 teams in the CL?
Or is it a “depends”
* Ok, anyone can respond.
WLtoon
Mar 10, 2025 at 10:21 AM
Comment #846Match day, and about time too,
Im not expecting a win tonight, im looking at a boring 0-0 without too much going on in the opposing box.
I do think Sunday will be firmly imprinted n the players minds and just like previous games since we reached the final, it will be a bit of a non event.
I doubt isak will be risked, with young Osula starting the game.
Spam don`t have much to play for really, which is why ive went for a goalless draw.
We are currently sitting just above mid table but can move up a few places with 3 points tonight, unfortunately i can`t see it, the final takes a massive priority imv,
Gutted about young Hall being out for the final, he is the one player who may have kept Salah quiet.
magscar
Mar 10, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Comment #847Cyprus
You might not be alone in wondering what consistent 2 halves are – many of our players struggle with the notion 🙂
Not another deJong
Mar 10, 2025 at 11:06 AM
Comment #848“We still have to play Forest, we still have to play Newcastle,” Ollie Watkins (Villa) said. “We have City as well. If we win those games we are right up there. We are now focusing on the Champions League but the boss is always telling us to concentrate on the Premier League as the most important competition.”
———————————————
There is an underlying presumption in that statement. Should / could Eddie use the good form and targeting of CL by other teams, to motivate the lads. After all they are professional sportsmen, paid to compete and it is not the salary that denotes their worth but the competition and the prizes.
onmeedsun
Mar 10, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Comment #849Just read an absolutely beautiful article by Caulkin in the Athletic covering a recent interview he did with Matt Ritchie. I think Ritchie was such an important signing for the club and without him we would not have stayed up long enough for the takeover to happen. He is an ‘all in’ type of guy. In his 8 years with us his family and young children stayed on the south coast. Remarkable resilience and commitment. Can’t wait for him to appear at SJP just once before he retires.
A Geordie Mongrel
Mar 10, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Comment #850Afternoon all, happy match day! Eddie’s Bingo closes at 5:45 pm. https://www.nufcblog.com/2024/05/19/newcastle-finish-7th-with-good-4-2-win-but-now-wait-on-europa-conference-qualification/comment-page-8/#comment-3068607
Poet Of Prudhoe Park
Mar 10, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Comment #851With english teams doing well it will be top 5 for champions league
Saratoga
Mar 10, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Comment #852Top 5 for CL.
Points deduction for Man City before the end of the season.
Don’t know why they don’t sort that out with a good old fashioned plea bargain.
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 10, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Comment #8534 Hours 41 Minutes to KO.
lesh
Mar 10, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Comment #854Essex
Good to see you’re still posting and I hope you’re coping after your recent loss
Take care young fella
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 10, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Comment #855Lesh
Yeah thanks mate, funeral is on Thursday and today is probably the worst birthday I have ever had, still in shock at her sudden loss.
But life has to go on and my firends and family have been fantastic..
A win today would bhe nice.
onmeedsun
Mar 10, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Comment #856Essex
You are our man well and truly behind enemy lines!
Munster Mag
Mar 10, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Comment #857Craig Hope getting a big promotion apparently although don’t think announced yet
tannerabag
Mar 10, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Comment #858onmeedsun comment #842
Agree with what you say, the Cups are really just a distraction. What matters these days are the Champion’s League places; that’s where all the money is, and without the money and the Champion’s League kudos, a Club cannot attract/keep elite players (or at least very difficult).
The Cups are for fans, and I don’t want to come over as someone who would deny the great day out and celebrations that a Cup victory would bring to NUFC, but in terms of “club-progression”, the Cups are essentially meaningless in my opinion.
And if you look at team performance, both teams in the Caraboa/League Cup Final, tend to drop off in terms of league performance both before and after the Final.
Anyway, just my opinion. I hope we win for the FANS.
Optimistic geordie
Mar 10, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Comment #859how about a win tonight to bring the optimism we clearly lacking and also keep us in touch with a potential top 5 finish.I fear if we lose tonight we ll be slipping up once to often and seriously threaten our european hopescfor next year.Also a win tonight will put all of us in a more postiive mood for Sunday, We coould the only other team this season to Beat Convincingly the scousers in , and at wembley to boot. So tovhell with graham potters ambitions to win 3 on the bounce ,we ve actually done well on the road this season . 3 – 1 to us hat trick no. 2 for Isak .
JohnJ
Mar 10, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Comment #860Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 10, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Comment #855
I’m not surprised that you are still in shock. I’ll keep you in my thoughts and prayers on Thursday. Your loss is the kind of loss that’s very painful indeed. I really don’t know how I’d manage if I were in your situation.
You are right life has to go on and it’s good to have all your support around you.
As you say a win today would indeed be nice.
Take care my friend. 🙂
coming home
Mar 10, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Comment #861Pope back in goal
Not another deJong
Mar 10, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Comment #862Howay the Kipper Man x
A Geordie Mongrel
Mar 10, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Comment #863https://www.newcastleunited.com/en/news/team-news-three-changes-for-hammers-trip