Newcastle United are set to travel to South Wales to take on Cardiff City at the Cardiff City Stadium for their second match of the season.
One week of Premier League action is in the books and every club has turned their attention to their next opponents. Newcastle United opened the season at home with a 2-1 loss to Tottenham and will look to bounce back against Cardiff City on the road.
Like the Magpies, the Bluebirds also lost their opening match at the hands of Bournemouth. Both sides will aim for three points and, as a result, supporters of both clubs should expect a chippy match with plenty of midfield action.
Kick-off is scheduled for 12:30PM at the Cardiff City Stadium and the home supporters will create a tremendous atmosphere after seeing their club in the Top Flight for the first time since 2013. The atmosphere in the stands and the intensity on the field will make this match worth watching.
🎥 @yedlinny was back in training with his Newcastle team-mates this morning, after recovering from the knee injury he suffered against @SpursOfficial last weekend. #NUFC @PLinUSA pic.twitter.com/zXcgG8afa4
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) August 16, 2018
With this only being the second match of the season, Newcastle supporters are anxious to see if Rafa Benitez will stick with his lineup from last weekend or if changes will be made. With Cardiff City being so weak defensively, there is a likely chance that Newcastle could shift their formation to one of the following:
- 4-4-2
- 4-3-3
- 3-5-2
Attacking Mindset
As the newcomers of the Premier League, Cardiff City will be excited to play in front of their home crowd, but that excitement does not cover up their vulnerabilities. Neil Warnock is known for his defensive tactics, but that is far from the case this season.
The Bluebirds are the most vulnerable club in the Premier League and Newcastle will look to utilize that weakness in their favor. Last weekend, Cardiff City made a mediocre Bournemouth side look more talented than they truly are as the Cherries took 12 shots and completed 502 passes.
Newcastle will look to emulate Bournemouth’s dominance against Cardiff City and the Magpies are fully capable of doing that. Rafa Benitez’s side played well against a superior Tottenham side and even took control in the second half of that match.
Final Note
Newcastle are favored to win this match on paper and they will look to turn that prediction into a reality this Saturday. Cardiff City may be the minnows of the Premier League this season, but that does not mean this match will be easy for Newcastle.
Cardiff City will find ways to make Newcastle uncomfortable in this match, but the Magpies will turn to their superior quality to claim three points. A win against Cardiff City would be crucial for Newcastle as they prepare for a rigorous string of consecutive matches against Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal.
Both sides will fight for a positive result, but Newcastle will likely depart from South Wales with their first victory of the season.