Newcastle United are ready for their first test on the road
By Durim Halimi
Newcastle United will be traveling to Carrow Road for their first road test of the 2019-20 campaign.
Newcastle United will be on the road tomorrow to take on newly-promoted Norwich City. Both teams were defeated by top six opposition on opening day and they will be looking to claim their first points of the season tomorrow. Newcastle United desperately need three points for the sake of calming their nerves, especially Steve Bruce who is under a ton of unnecessary pressure from fans at the moment.
Daniel Farke is confident in his players’ abilities and that is reflected in the Canaries’ inactivity this summer. He is rewarding the players that earned promotion, but the disparity in quality and lack of experience could cause major problems for Norwich City this season. The good news for Norwich City is that Newcastle United have new players and a new manager who are still trying to develop a proper chemistry and understanding for one another. However, the Magpies have more talent on their roster and they should get the job done tomorrow.
What to Expect
Norwich City have been pretty quiet this week regarding their preparation for tomorrow’s match, but Farke made it clear that he was happy with the way his team played against Liverpool. If anything, his praise and confidence is hinting towards a very similar or identical setup for tomorrow’s match. Norwich City will certainly look to set up Teemu Pukki with multiple chances up top, but the Toon should also keep an eye on Emi Buendia and Marco Stiepermann as the midfield duo can be dangerous if they get good looks at goal, especially from distance.
Newcastle United will keep playing in their 3-5-2 formation and the lineup is, for the most part, expected to stay the same as last weekend. Bruce’s key observation from the Arsenal loss was that Joelinton wasn’t getting enough touches on the ball, so fans will be hoping to see Allan Saint-Maximin replace Javier Manquillo out wide to deliver some quality crosses to the Brazilian in the box.
The Magpies’ back-line will have their hands full against Norwich City’s speedy attacking core, but Fabian Schar and Jamaal Lascelles will have sufficient support from their midfielders when the Canaries look to counter. Bruce will have to make one key decision on the back-line, though, as he must decide if he will stick with Paul Dummett or open the door to Jetro Willems or Emil Krafth.
As mentioned earlier, Newcastle United are the better team on paper, but Carrow Road will be booming in support of the Canaries in their home opener. If this match was being played in the middle of the season I would be much more confident in the Magpies, but I am expecting a tight battle tomorrow.
Predictions
Durim Halimi: Norwich City 0-1 Newcastle United
Carson A. Merk: Norwich City 1-1 Newcastle United