The Reasons Why Newcastle Will Win!

Last updated : 20 February 2017 By Footy Mad - Editor

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Newcastle are aiming to return to the top of the Sky Bet Championship when they face struggling Aston Villa tonight.

Rafael Benitez's side slipped to second place after Brighton's 2-0 win at Barnsley on Saturday, but they are strong favourites to return to the summit against Villa, who have not won in eight Championship games.

Earlier on in the season, the problem with Villa was that they couldn't score goals, but they didn't concede them. It's a little bit the other way around now. They are conceding more goals but still not scoring the goals needed to get the results.

The problem they are having in the midfield area is that there's no real defensive midfielder who is going to sit there and protect that back four. It's something that has been quite apparent with Aston Villa recently. They're trying to score more goals and get on the front foot, but they're leaving themselves a little bit exposed at the back.

Henri Lansbury and Conor Hourihane are two of the best midfielders in the Championship, but the problem is that neither is defensively-minded. Aston Villa are starting to be open to the counter-attack. There are huge spaces, so one pass can turn defence into attack for the opposition.

James Chester and Nathan Baker are going into areas they shouldn't because they haven't got that out-and-out sitting midfielder. That's where I think the return of Mile Jedinak could be key for them.

Jonjo Shelvey has been fantastic this season. He was missed while he was out during his suspension. He brings so much from the midfield area. You either have Isaac Hayden or Jack Colback as the sitting midfielder, and that gives Shelvey the licence to drive forward and show what he can do in the final third.

His decision making is absolutely spot on, and his long distance passing as well. He's quite prepared to drop deep and play the quarter-back role at times, but because he has the insurance of a Colback or Hayden behind him, he can also get in the right place at the right time to score goals.

He is a very important player for Newcastle. It will be interesting to see how Villa deal with him.

Another area to look at is the relationship between Newcastle's DeAndre Yedlin and Matt Ritchie. Yedlin plays almost as a right winger at times. He's the one that gives the width on that side, and he has been a standout player in recent games.

He is so quick, so he can get back with his recovery runs, but it's what he does with the ball as well. We see him controlling the whole of the right-hand side. He has been so key for Newcastle and he gives them such an attacking threat.

On Villa's left flank, it means Jonathan Kodjia could have have a big defensive job to do. Because if Yedlin is going down that side and Jordan Amavi has had to go inside with Matt Ritchie, then that area will be free. Yedlin will love that.

If Kodjia switches off and doesn't do his job, then Yedlin is going to have room to go into to get crosses into the box. Kodjia needs to be mindful and follow him down there. Then on the turnover and with the pace that he's got, he can get up quickly to support the likes of Scott Hogan.

From my point of view, I think it's a really interesting game. Everybody would expect Newcastle to win and I cannot see Bruce coming up with anything to stop them.

 

The Toon's Greatest 100 Players. . .Ever! - £10.99

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This book is a collection of the 100 Greatest Newcastle United players of all time, as voted for by NewcastleUtd-Mad.co.uk readers and a panel of journalists who contribute to the website.

The players are in an order of five-per-chapter, counting down from 100 to Newcastle United's greatest ever player (as viewed by the author), but the whole point of the book is for You (the reader) to decide who goes where.

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 FIXTURES

MONDAY, 20 FEBRUARY 2017
Newcastle 20:00 Aston Villa

SATURDAY, 25 FEBRUARY 2017
Newcastle 15:00 Bristol City

TUESDAY, 28 FEBRUARY 2017
Brighton 19:45 Newcastle

SATURDAY, 4 MARCH 2017
Huddersfield 17:30 Newcastle

TUESDAY, 7 MARCH 2017
Reading 20:00 Newcastle

Image result for newcastle utd logo

NORWICH 2 NEWCASTLE 2 (Perez, Lascelles)
Darlow, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie (70' Atsu), Shelvey, Colback (54' Diame), Gouffran, Perez, Mitrovic (76' Gayle)
Subs: Hanley, Hayden, Elliot, Gamez

WOLVES 0 NEWCASTLE 1 (Mitrovic)
Darlow, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie (82' Murphy), Colback, Shelvey, Gouffran, Diame (88' Perez), Mitrovic (45' Atsu)
Subs: Hanley, Hayden, Elliot, Gamez

NEWCASTLE 1 DERBY CO 0 (Ritchie)
Darlow, Yedlin, Hanley, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie, Shelvey, Hayden (49' Perez), Gouffran (90+3' Lascelles), Diame, Mitrovic (84' Ameobi)
Subs: Lazaar, Elliot, Gamez, Murphy

NEWCASTLE 2 QPR 2 (Shelvey, Ritchie)
Darlow, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie, Shelvey, Hayden, Gouffran, Perez (86' Diame), Murphy (66' Ameobi)
Subs: Hanley, Lazaar, Gamez, Mitrovic, Sels

FAC OXFORD UTD 3 NEWCASTLE UTD 0
Sels, Gamez, Hanley, Lazaar, Haidara (77' Ritchie), Hayden, Barlaser, El-Mhanni (68' Gouffran), Perez, Mitrovic
Subs: Dummett, Lascelles,Shelvey, Elliot, Yedlin

NEWCASTLE 4 ROTHERHAM 0 (Murphy, Ritchie 2 (1 pen), Perez)
Darlow, Yedlin (80' Sterry), Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie, Hayden, Shelvey, Gouffran (64' Ameobi), Perez, Murphy (75' Lazaar)
Subs: Barlaser, Hanley, Haidara, Sels

FAC NEWCASTLE UTD 3 BIRMINGHAM 1 (Ritchie 2 (1 pen), Gouffran)
Sels, Yedlin (75' Hayden), Hanley, Findlay, Lazaar, Shelvey, Tiote (82' Colback), Ritchie, Ben El-Mhanni (70' Perez), Barlaser, Gouffran 
Subs: Dummett, Lascelles, Elliot, Murphy

BRENTFORD 1 NEWCASTLE 2 (Gayle, Murphy)
Darlow, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie, Hayden (62' Anita - 72' Hanley), Colback, Gouffran, Perez, Gayle (28' Murphy)
Subs: Lazaar, Sels, Sterry, Ameobi

FA CUP BIRMINGHAM 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (Murphy)
Sels, Yedlin, Lascelles, Hanley, Haidara (69' Ritchie), Anita, Colback, Tiote (65' Hayden), Lazaar, Murphy, Mitrovic (10' Gouffran)
Subs: Clark, Dummett, Gayle, Darlow

BLACKBURN 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Darlow, Anita (87' Murphy), Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie, Hayden, Colback (77' Perez), Gouffran (85' Atsu), Diame, Gayle 
Subs: Lazaar, Mbemba, Yedlin, Sels

NEWCASTLE 3 NOTTM FOREST 1 (Ritchie, Gayle 2)
Darlow, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie (83' Lazaar), Colback (67' Diame), Hayden, Atsu, Perez, Gayle (88' Mitrovic)
Subs: Anita, Mbemba, Gouffran, Sels

NEWCASTLE 0 SHEFF WED 1
Darlow, Anita, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie, Hayden, Colback (80' Mitrovic), Gouffran (62' Atsu), Diame (69' Perez), Gayle 
Subs: Lazaar, Mbemba, Yedlin, Sels

BURTON 1 NEWCASTLE 2 (Gayle, Diame)
Darlow, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Atsu, Shelvey, Hayden, Ritchie (85' Gouffran), Diame, Gayle 
Subs: Lazaar, Anita, Perez, Mbemba, Sels, Mitrovic

WIGAN 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Diame, Atsu)
Darlow, Anita, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie (69' Atsu), Shelvey, Hayden, Gouffran, Diame, Gayle (82' Perez)
Subs: Lazaar, Mbemba, Yedlin, Sels, Mitrovic

NEWCASTLE 4 BIRMINGHAM 0 (Gayle 3, Gouffran)
Darlow, Anita, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie, Shelvey, Hayden (82' Lazaar), Gouffran (70' Atsu), Diame, Gayle (79' Mitrovic)
Subs: Mbemba, Yedlin, Tiote, Sels

NOTTINGHAM FOREST 2 NEWCASTLE UTD 1 (Ritchie)
Darlow, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Hayden, Shelvey, Ritchie, Perez (45' Anita), Gouffran (77' Diame), Gayle (87' Mitrovic)
Subs: Mbemba, Tiote, Sels, Atsu

LC HULL CITY 1 NEWCASTLE UNITED 1 (Diame) * Lost on pens
Sels, Anita (108 Yedlin), Lascelles, Clark, Lazaar, Ritchie (80 Atsu), Shelvey, Hayden (105 Murphy), Gouffran, Diame, Gayle 
Subs: Dummett, Mbemba, Tiote, Darlow

NEWCASTLE 0 BLACKBURN ROVERS 1
Darlow, Yedlin, Mbemba (85' Gayle), Clark, Gamez (55' Dummett), Ritchie, Hayden, Shelvey, Atsu, Perez, Mitrovic 
Subs: Lascelles, Anita, Diame, Gouffran, Sels

LEEDS UTD 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Gayle 2)
Darlow, Anita, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie, Colback (83' Hayden), Shelvey, Gouffran (76' Diame), Perez, Gayle (79' Mitrovic)
Subs: Mbemba, Yedlin, Sels, Atsu

NEWCASTLE 2 CARDIFF 1 (Atsu, Gouffran)
Darlow, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Atsu (89' Diame), Shelvey, Hayden, Gouffran (72' Anita), Perez, Mitrovic 
Subs: Colback, Hanley, Lazaar, Gayle, Sels

PRESTON 1 NEWCASTLE 2 (Mitrovic 2)
Darlow, Yedlin (90+5' Hanley), Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie (90+2' Atsu), Hayden, Shelvey, Gouffran, Diame, Mitrovic (86' Perez)
Subs: Lazaar, Anita, Gamez, Sels

LC NEWCASTLE 6 PRESTON 0 (Mitrovic 2, Diame 2, Ritchie (pen), Perez)
Sels, Yedlin, Mbemba, Hanley, Dummett (58' Anita), Ritchie (75' Perez), Hayden, Colback (32' Shelvey), Atsu, Diame, Mitrovic 
Subs: Clark, Gayle, Gouffran, Darlow

NEWCASTLE 3 IPSWICH TOWN 0 (Perez 2, Ritchie)
Darlow, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie, Colback, Shelvey (83' Hayden), Gouffran (75' Atsu), Perez, Gayle (79' Mitrovic)
Subs: Anita, Diame, Mbemba, Sels

BARNSLEY 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Gayle 2)
Darlow, Anita, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Shelvey, Hayden, Ritchie (83' Atsu), Diame (90+2' Colback), Gouffran, Gayle    
Subs: Lazaar, Perez, Yedlin, Sels, Mitrovic  

NEWCASTLE 3 BRENTFORD 1 (Clark, Gayle 2)
Darlow; Anita, Lascelles (Hanley 60), Clark, Dummett; Shelvey, Colback; Atsu (Yedlin 72), Perez, Gouffran (Lazaar 84); Gayle.
Subs: Sels, Hayden, Diame, Mitrovic.

ROTHERHAM 0 NEWCASTLE 1 (Atsu)
Darlow, Anita, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Atsu (67' Ritchie), Shelvey, Colback, Gouffran, Diame (87' Hanley), Gayle (79' Mitrovic)
Subs: Hayden, Mbemba, Yedlin, Sels

NEWCASTLE 4 NORWICH 3 (Gayle 3, Gouffran)
Darlow, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett (92 Atsu), Ritchie, Shelvey, Colback (71' Hayden), Gouffran, Diame (71' Mitrovic), Gayle 
Subs: Lazaar, Perez, Mbemba, Sels

ASTON VILLA 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (Elphick og)
Sels, Yedlin (75' Tiote), Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie, Hayden, Shelvey, Gouffran, Diame, Gayle (80' Mitrovic)
Subs: Hanley, Lazaar, Perez, Darlow, Atsu

LC NEWCASTLE 2 WOLVES 0 (Ritchie, Gouffran)
Darlow, Yedlin, Hanley, Clark, Lazaar, Shelvey, Colback, Ritchie (86' Lascelles), Diame (72' Perez), Gouffran (75' Atsu), Murphy 
Subs: Dummett, Hayden, Woodman, Mitrovic

NEWCASTLE UTD 0 WOLVES 2
Sels, Anita, Mbemba, Lascelles, Dummett, Hayden (Mitrovic 62) Shelvey, Ritchie (Atsu 63), Diame, Perez, Gayle
Subs not used: Clark, Colback, Gouffran, Yedlin, Darlow

QPR 0 NEWCASTLE 6 (Shelvey 2, Perez, Clark, Mitrovic, Hanley)
Sels, Anita, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett (65' Hanley), Gouffran (61' Atsu), Hayden, Shelvey, Ritchie, Perez, Mitrovic (74' Yedlin)
Subs: Colback, Gayle, Diame, Darlow

DERBY CO 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Gouffran, Yedlin)
Sels, Anita, Mbemba, Lascelles, Dummett, Ritchie, Shelvey, Colback, Gouffran (73' Yedlin), Diame (88' Hayden), Gayle (76' Perez)
Subs: Clark, Lazaar, Darlow, Mitrovic

NEWCASTLE 2 BRIGHTON 0 (Lascelles, Shelvey)
Sels, Anita (72' Gamez), Mbemba, Lascelles, Dummett, Ritchie, Hayden, Shelvey, Gouffran (88' Yedlin), Diame (81' Colback), Perez 
Subs: Clark, Hanley, Darlow, Armstrong

(LC) NEWCASTLE 2 CHELTENHAM 0 (Perez 2)
Darlow, Sterry, Lascelles, Hanley, Gamez, Aarons (24' Gouffran), Shelvey, Colback, Perez, Diame, Mitrovic (38' Gayle)
Subs: Dummett, Hayden, Mbemba, Sels

BRISTOL CITY 0 NEWCASTLE 1 (Gayle)
Sels, Anita, Mbemba, Lascelles, Clark, Ritchie, Hayden (87' Shelvey), Colback, Gouffran, Diame (63' Perez), Gayle (88' Aarons)
Subs: Dummett, Hanley, Darlow, Sterry

NEWCASTLE 4 READING 1 (Hayden, Ritchie (P), Gayle 2)
Sels, Anita, Mbemba, Clark, Dummett, Hayden, Shelvey, Ritchie (90' Aarons), Perez (76' Lascelles), Gouffran (84' Colback), Gayle 
Subs: Hanley, Janmaat, Darlow, Armstrong

NEWCASTLE 1 HUDDERSFIELD 2 (Gayle)
Sels, Janmaat (83' Armstrong), Mbemba, Lascelles, Dummett, Anita, Hayden, Shelvey, Aarons (45' Ritchie), Diame (75' Perez), Gayle 
Subs: Clark, Colback, Darlow, Gamez

FULHAM 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Sels; Janmaat, Lascelles, Hanley, Dummett; Hayden (Shelvey 77), Colback (Aarons 61); Ritchie, Perez (Armstrong 70), Anita; Gayle. 
Subs Mbemba, Darlow, Jesus Gamez, Sterry.

NEWCASTLE 3 VITESSE ARNHEM 2 (Leerdam (og), Gayle, Colback)
Sels; Janmaat (Sterry, 74), Hanley (Gamez, 62), Lascelles, Dummett; Hayden (Saivet, 74), Colback (Shelvey, 62); Anita (Mitrovic, 74), Perez (Armstrong, 62), Ritchie (Aarons, 62); Gayle (Gouffran, 74). Subs not: Darlow, Tiote, Thauvin.

SOUTHEND UTD 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Anita, Gouffran) 
Darlow; Janmaat (Sterry 63), Mbemba (Hanley 63), Lascelles, Dummett; Hayden (Colback 63), Shelvey (Saivet 73); Anita (Thauvin 78), Perez (Mitrovic 73), Aarons (Gouffran 63); Gayle (Armstrong 63). 
Sub not used: Sels.

SPORTING LOKEREN 0 NEWCASTLE 4 (Perez 2, Perez, Janmaat, Shelvey)
Sels (Darlow 72); Sterry (Gouffran 63), Mbemba (Saivet 72), Lascelles (Dummett 63), Anita (Gamez 46); Hayden (Shelvey 46), Colback (Tiote 72); Janmaat, Perez (Mitrovic 46), Aarons (Thauvin 63), Gayle (Armstrong 63).
Subs not used: None.

DONCASTER ROVERS 2 NEWCASTLE UTD 2 (Hayden, Perez)
Sels, Janmaat (Sterry, 45), Mbemba (Saivet, 65), Lascelles (Dummett, 45), Colback (Hayden, 45), Anita (Gamez, 45), Ritchie (Gouffran, 45), Aarons (Perez, 45), Shelvey (Wijnaldum, 79), Mitrovic (Gayle, 45), Armstrong (Thauvin, 60).

BOHEMIANS 0 NEWCASTLE 6 (Ritchie, Mitrovic, Gayle, Thauvin, Aarons, Wijnaldum) 
Sels, Anita, Lascelles, Mbemba, Sterry, Aarons, Colback, Gouffran, Ritchie, Saivet, Mitrovic.
Subs: Darlow, Gamez, Dummett, Wijnaldum, Shelvey, Hayden, Perez, Gayle, Janmaat, Tiote, Thauvin.