Newcastle United will host a struggling Watford side at St. James’ Park this Saturday.
With the Carabao Cup now out of the way after losing to Leicester City in the second round yesterday, Newcastle United can turn their full attention to their next Premier League game. After shocking Tottenham on their own ground on Sunday, the Magpies aim to earn their second straight victory against a Watford side that currently sits in last place with zero points.
Watford have been a stable mid-table side over the last few seasons, so this slow start has surprised many fans and pundits, especially their 3-0 loss to Brighton on opening weekend. According to FiveThirtyEight, Newcastle United are being tapped as heavy favorites to win this clash, but it will not be easy.
The Magpies have momentum on their side and the team knows that a victory on Saturday would mean a great deal before they travel to Anfield to face Liverpool after the international break. Looking at the table, ten teams have four points and five teams have three points, so a win would definitely send the Toon into the top half of the standings after four games.
The problem, however, is that Watford are the most desperate team in the Premier League. They will come at Newcastle United with plenty of urgency and it would be a major shock if they do not play attacking football from the opening whistle. To make matters worse for Watford, their next two opponents after this weekend are Arsenal and Manchester City.
That being said, Newcastle United must not let euphoria kick in just because they defeated last season’s Champions League finalists in London. The players need to realize that Watford is a tricky opponent with plenty of quality in their squad, especially after they signed Ismaila Sarr from Rennes this summer. Despite losing their first three games of the season, Watford have been averaging 14 shots per game, so they will not sit back and wait to counter-attack at St. James’ Park.
The good news for Newcastle United is that they will be playing at home against a team that has conceded seven goals in their first three games. Moreover, the fact that Joelinton got his first goal last weekend is a great sign, and the expectation is for the Brazilian to keep building his tally against a vulnerable back-line.