Newcastle United receive great news ahead of next FA Cup clash

Newcastle United are only one win away from reaching the quarter-final of the FA Cup, and a recent update from West Brom will serve as a major boost for Steve Bruce and his men.

Newcastle United are in the fifth round of the FA Cup thanks to Allan Saint-Maximin’s individual brilliance in extra time against Oxford United. The Toon Army are pleased to see their team make a run in this domestic tournament, but they have not been impressed with how the Magpies have been playing.

It took Steve Bruce’s men two replays to reach this round and now he has to prepare his squad for the best team in the second tier of English football, West Brom. The Baggies are flying high at the moment as they claim the top spot in the Championship, but multiple teams are breathing down their neck at the top of the table.

With the difference between first and seventh in the Championship table only being seven points, a new report claims that West Brom manager Slaven Bilic will have a conservative approach to the clash against Newcastle United. Bilic deployed a mixed team comprised of a few starters, second-string players and youngsters against West Ham in the fourth round. Surprisingly, the Baggies got the job done in London, but Newcastle United will look to avoid the mistakes made by the Hammers.

Regardless of how strong of a lineup West Brom deploy against Newcastle United, Bruce’s troops are the favorites to win, but they must play as such. The Magpies dominated the possession stats against both Rochdale and Oxford United, but they did not dominate either game. It was a tale of two halves in all four games against the two League One outfits.

With five lower-league teams still in the competition at this stage, Newcastle United could get lucky once more with a favorable draw if a few upsets occur in this round. That being said, players like Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin must keep their foot on the pedal and set the tone for the Magpies when they take on promotion-focused West Brom at the Hawthorns. Playing a team that is not at full strength does not guarantee a victory, but it does give Newcastle United a major advantage, one that fans hope they make the most out of.