Newcastle v Hull: Match Preview, Team News, Prediction

Newcastle United return to St James' Park today looking for an immediate response to Monday night's disappointing 4–1 defeat at Leeds United.

Matthias Jaissle suffered his first defeat as Newcastle head coach at Elland Road, and the performance raised questions about both his high-intensity system and the balance of his new-look side.

Hull City now provide Newcastle with the opportunity to put that result behind them — but Jaissle has a growing injury list to contend with.

Match Preview

The Leeds performance was easily Newcastle's poorest of the season.

Jaissle's side struggled to make their press work, were too easily played through and repeatedly left space for Leeds to attack.

The concerning issue was that those weaknesses had been evident in the previous games even though results hadn't suffered - but against Leeds those weaknesses were ruthlessly exposed and punished.

The one saving grace is that the second half didn't end up in a rout as my feeling at half time was that this could end as 6-0 defeat or even worse.

After the game and during his presser MJ talked about the importance of getting the basics right; closing players down, challenging strongly for second halls and defending and attacking as a team.

Those basics have got Hull off to a flying start and show that skill and quality count for nothing if you can't impose your style of play on a game by first getting those basics right.

I have no doubt that hard words have been spoken behind closed doors this week at Benton and I am expecting a big reaction right from the KO in a match that now takes on significant importance even this early in the season.

Another flimsy display and heavy defeat could send crush the excitement and expectations that our early results have generated and lead to big questions being asked about the policy of making so many young signings, Jaissle's tactics and his ability to manage in the PL.

Many fans won't over-react but you can bet some will, as will the media who seem to love to knock Newcastle down. That negativity can eat away at confidence and become a doom loop.

To make this game even harder Jaissle has up to eight players unavailable to take on Hull, all but young Jaouen the experienced heads that the team needs in a match of this importance.

Team News

MJ has to name a team from a squade depleted by injuries in all areas of his 4231.

And what makes it worse is that those players include Burn, Jo and Osula exactly the type of players the team needs to give it a physical edge that has been totally lacking almost since the season kicked off.

How MJ selects his eleven starters and how he sets them up doesn't give him many options from the players he has available.

Prediction

My prediction before the Leeds game was that I wouldn't be surprised if the result went 3-0 either way and unfortunately at 4-1 I got the three goal margin right.

And I have exactly that same feeling about today's game.

Hull will not only be full of confidence from the start to the season but as a physical, hard pressing and well drilled team they will be smelling blood after watching us at Leeds.

If they get an early goal I think the crowd could get nervous, that could get through to the players, and Newcastle could be in for another long hard 90 minutes of battling to keep the score down.

However, if we get an early goal who knows?

Can we go on and take the game to Hull or will we still be as vulnerable to conceding space, shots and goals as we have been all season?

Such is the uncertainty that I think most fans are feeling afer the Leeds performance exposed the weaknesses that many had shoved under the carpet because of our unbeaten run.

My usual fiver is going on a hard fought 2-1 win but, again, I wouldn't be surprised at any score and I believe the first 15 minutes of this game could be pivotal for both sides.

Jaissle and us fans need to see a big reaction from every player that takes the pitch.

If we get that, we can get the win that will stem the concern that many are feeling.

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