Mark Lawrenson has been talking about Newcastle United.
The former BBC Sport pundit looking at the NUFC situation as we move towards the end of January 2024.
Newcastle taking on Fulham tonight.
A big game at Craven Cottage for both sides.
Mark Lawrenson speaking to Paddy Power ahead of Fulham v Newcastle:
“This and the Premier League are all Newcastle have left now so they might go for it.
“They like a good cup run, too, the Geordies!
“Prediction: Fulham 1 Newcastle 2”
Here’s hoping Mark Lawrenson is proved right for once!
Eddie Howe played his strongest team when hammering Sunderland in the last round.
I can’t see why that would change now, even though it is Villa away only three days later on Tuesday night in the Premier League.
Eddie Howe looks set to play the same eleven who did well against Man City in their last match and led until the 74th minute in that game. Very cruel to get nothing at all from that game, though it took world class quality off the bench in the shape of Kevin De Bruyne to change the direction of that game.
The same 11 Newcastle players were on the pitch for the second half of that drubbing of Sunderland after Miley replaced Joelinton just after the break.
Safe to say that Fulham present a level that falls somewhere between best team in the world Man City and lower league Sunderland.
Mark Lawrenson fails to mention that Fulham also have just the Premier League and FA Cup left to compete in this season.
He also fails to mention that Marco Silva says it was a massive physical and mental impact, when losing their chance of Wembley to Liverpool on Wednesday.
Fulham also have a Premier League game on Tuesday night and it is against fourth bottom Everton, the scouse mackems will move to within only two points of Fulham if winning, so Marco Silva will surely also have that in the back of his mind.
Silva has made all the right noises of course but I can’t see him playing all of his first choice eleven today, as no way he will want to play the same team in all of these three matches that are over a six day stretch from first to last.
As well as the ability to play the same eleven tonight as faced Man City, Eddie Howe has Tino Livramento back from illness and has indicated that Jacob Murphy is also set to be available. At last, maybe the beginnings of the Head Coach getting back to a position of returning players set to give him a few more options on team selections and during the match changes.
As for ‘the Geordies!’ liking a good cup run… well, yes, we do, because especially in the FA Cup they have been so rare!
Mike Ashley had an official club policy of not trying in the cup competitions and that massively has contributed to the shocking fact that only once since 2006 have Newcastle United actually got past the fourth round.
Fingers crossed that Mark Lawrenson is right and that for only the second time in 18 years, Newcastle United will have a glorious FA Cup run that takes them to the fifth round… and possibly beyond.