Win or lose today, Newcastle United can send a strong message to the rest of the league.
Newcastle United will open their 2019-20 Premier League campaign against Arsenal in a few hours at St. James’ Park. Several teams have already played on Friday and Saturday, and, as always, a few surprises did occur. For starters, no one expected Brighton and Burnley to come out and score three goals, and no one expected Sheffield United to hold their own and earn a point on the road against Bournemouth.
The media’s attention will now turn to Newcastle United. Plenty of changes have occurred on Tyneside since mid-May, with the most notable change being the managerial transition from Rafa Benitez to Steve Bruce. As a result, most pundits and neutral Premier League fans are using that as their primary reason for why the Toon will be relegated. The other two reasons that have given life to this pessimism is that Ayoze Perez and Salomon Rondon have left and that the fans are refusing to support the team.
Well, Newcastle United can start turning the dial today and gradually change their minds. Steve Bruce is rightfully nervous making his managerial debut with the Toon in the Top Flight, but he needs to trust his philosophy and stand by it. Newcastle United have too much talent on the roster to be relegated, but Bruce needs to step up and show that he can properly utilize the talent he has.
The players also have an integral role to play today. They need to go out on that field and show that have zoned out the critics all summer. New boys Joelinton, Allan Saint-Maximin and others need to show that they are up for a new challenge in England and show the league that this team is actually better than it was last season. The team is less experienced now, but the talent level has certainly risen.
Finally, the fans need to realize that their stance on the club is what will determine how successful the team can be. Bruce and the players can give it their all, but they won’t succeed without the fervent support of the Toon Army. Fans are still divided over the direction the club is heading, but those players need us more than ever. If the fans and players can get behind Bruce, this team can reach new heights and collectively change the narrative of the media.