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Newcastle United have been very busy in the transfer market ever since their takeover by a consortium headed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. The takeover meant that Newcastle who were in a dire financial situation before, are now one of the richest clubs in the world. Their newfound financial power was visible in the January transfer window, as the Magpies spent the most money out of all clubs in the top 5 leagues in Europe, with a whopping $112 million spent on transfers, as they revamped the squad in a bid to survive in the Premier League this season.
Their squad revival is set to continue into the next season as well, and the club have already made progress in a few deals, with one deal set to be completed soon. The Magpies are said to be close to signing centre-back Sven Botman from Lille. Newcastle United have been after the defender since the January transfer window and looks set to secure the signature of the Dutchman.
Newcastle tried very hard to sign the 22-year-old central defender in January but failed to agree on a fee with French club Lille. Botman himself is said to be keen on the move, describing it as a ‘nice project’ when the transfer links first surfaced. The Magpies eventually signed Brighton defender Dan Burn after failing to land Botman, and will now look at the summer window to sign the highly-rated defender.
However, there is a race between a few clubs for the signature of Botman, with Italian league-leaders AC Milan also in the fray now. Various reports suggest that the Dutchman has already agreed on terms with the Italian giants, but Newcastle are confident of outbidding the Rossoneri and winning the race for the 22-year-old. The Dutchman played a starring role in Lille’s shock title win last season, as they overcame defending champions and a vastly superior team in PSG to win the Ligue 1 title for only the 4th time in their history. Botman played a crucial role in the team, keeping a stunning 21 clean sheets in 37 league starts.
His performances have drawn praise from pundits and has been described as the ideal signing for Newcastle United. They had been leaky at the back at the start of the season, and although they have conceded lesser goals in the last few months, their defence still needs to improve. Manager Eddie Howe has seen him as the top transfer target and the one to take their defence to the next level. The Dutchman has been described as a world-class player at a very young age of 22, and Howe is said to be eager to see him don the Black and White colours.
Botman could be one of several arrivals at St. James’ Park in the summer, with the Newcastle owners preparing to build on their £94 million spending in the winter. The Magpies believe that a fee upwards of £30 million should be enough to satisfy Lille after they had a £27 million offer rejected in January. Sven Botman seems set to leave the French club this summer, with AC Milan and Newcastle both touted as possible destinations, and according to transfer gurus, will most likely end up in England. The Dutchman has a contract till June 30th of 2025, and it remains to see who he chooses to go within the summer.
Former Liverpool and Newcastle United star Georginio Wijnaldum want to return to England in order to bring an end to his disastrous move to Paris Saint-Germain to an end.
Wijnaldum, 31, left Anfield in the last summer transfer window as a free agent after failing to agree on a new deal with the club, bringing an end to an amazing time with the Merseyside team. The Dutchman was a part of the now-famous Liverpool side which ended a 30-year drought for a league title and also brought home a sixth European Cup. He made a total of 237 appearances for the Reds scoring 22 times in his six-year stay at the club.
The 85 capped Dutch International signed with the current Ligue 1 league leaders on a three-year deal. But this move has not gone according to plans as Mauricio Pochettino has handed just 16 league starts. He was benched for both legs against Real Madrid with Marco Verratti, Leandro Paredes and Danilo Pereira preferred ahead of him. This has majorly affected Georginio’s form. A primary ball-dominant midfielder, Wijnaldum made 46.2 passes with a pass accuracy of 92.7 during his final season at Liverpool. Despite arguably playing for a more ball-dominant in Paris, the 31-year old is getting less involved in the team’s play.
Speaking to the Dutch news outlet NOS, he has clearly expressed his frustrations with his new club saying, “I can’t say I’m completely happy, because the situation is not what I wanted. But that’s football and I’ll have to learn to deal with that. I’m a fighter. I have to stay positive and work hard to turn it around. I have played a lot in recent years, was always fit and also did very well. This is something different and that takes getting used to. I was really looking forward to the new step and then this happens. It is very difficult.”
Premier League clubs like Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, West Ham and former club Newcastle United are said to be monitoring the situation with European giants like AC Milan and Atletico Madrid have expressed their interest in him. PSG are seemingly willing to let Wijnaldum move and a fee of £20m is touted currently for him.
RB Salzburg has become quite an impressive factory of talent over the last few years, unearthing some of Europe’s incredibly gifted players such as Dayot Upamecano, Erling Haaland, Patson Daka, and Karim Adeyemi. All these players have become well-known household names in football despite their relatively young ages. Adeyemi in particular, enjoying a stunning breakthrough campaign in Austria, is already being heavily linked with a move to Borussia Dortmund with talks reportedly ongoing.
Though, it looks like the talented young German attacker may not be the only one departing through the Salzburg doors this summer.
Various reports are circulating around the future of 21-year-old Swiss international Noah Okafor who is attracting much interest from the likes of Newcastle United, Inter Milan and German outfits, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and sister-club RB Leipzig.
The young Swiss sensation has notched 7 goals and 5 assists across 16 appearances for Salzburg in the Austrian Bundesliga this season, already marking him out as one of Salzburg’s most talented products.
Born in the small Basel town of Binningen, Switzerland, Okafor is of Igbo Nigerian descent. His father is from Nigeria and his mother is Swiss.
Noah Okafor started out with his local team FC Arisdorf. He moved to FC Basel in 2009, continuing his progression and development through all their youth teams. On 31 January 2018, Okafor signed his first professional contract with the Swiss giants.
He made his first-team a few months later in a home game against FC Luzern, coming on as a first-half substitute for the injured Mohamed Elyounoussi – now at Southampton – in the 34th minutes in a game which ended in a 2-2 draw. It wasn’t until the second round of the 2018/19 season where he hit his first goal for the club in a 1-1 draw against Xamax.
Okafor was part of the side which eventually won the Swiss Cup, in which he played four of their cup ties and scored once in the semi-finals against Zurich.
In January 2020, the then 19-year-old was snapped up by Red Bull Salzburg. Since his move to Austria from his hometown, Okafor has gone on to make giant strides in his career, at the time of writing the Swiss forward has gone on to make 66 appearances in all competitions, scoring 22 goals. Three of those goals have come in this season’s Champions League as Salzburg exceeded expectations becoming the first Austrian club to qualify from their Champions League group which held Sevilla, Wolfsburg and LOSC Lille.
At an international level, Okafor has already made his mark, making his senior debut in June 2019 in the 2019 UEFA Nations League third-place game against England, as an extra-time substitute for Haris Seferovic. The 21-year-old netted his first international goal for the Rossocrociati on 15 November 2021, in their World Cup qualifying game against Bulgaria, a win which secured automatic qualification for Switzerland to the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
He also impressed in the 1-1 draw against Italy, assisting an absolute piledriver from Silvan Widmer to put Switzerland ahead, a game which succumbed the European champions to just a play-off place in order to qualify for the World Cup later this year.
In terms of position, Okafor is able to play either as a centre-forward or out on the wing, making him a versatile attacking player.
Blessed with blistering pace, acceleration, amazing trickery and a finishing style that matches some of football’s most historic goal scorers in Arsenal and Barcelona legend Thierry Henry.
Okafor is a burgeoning talent, and its no wonder why he’s already on the watchlist of some of Europe’s most promising clubs in Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen and Newcastle United who will be looking to continue their exciting transfer plans this summer.
The Swiss sensation perfectly fits the bill for each of these clubs, as he provides such devastating elements, especially on the counter-attack, most notably his sumptuous ability to finish them off with flawless finishing.
Okafor has managed to form a devastating partnership with Karim Adeyemi in Matthias Jaissle’s exciting, fluid and high-intensity style formed in a 4-3-1-2 shape. In such a system, both strikers are tasked in triggering the relentless pressing, hustling and harrying their opponents to win the ball back quickly, once they do, they are required to possess the speed of thought, quickness and clinical edge to finish attacking moves immediately after winning the ball high of the pitch. In Okafor and Adeyemi, Salzburg possess the perfect double act in executing such philosophies.
Okafor averaged an impressive 5.00 successful pressures per 90 in the Champions League this campaign, whilst also possessing the incredible influence and potency to aid Salzburg in their goalscoring. Okafor finished his second Champions League campaign experience with a shot-creating average of 3.17, and outperforming his xG (expected goals) rating of 1.6 with three goals to his name in six games. He has carried that forward in the Austrian Bundesliga notching seven goals and five assists in just 16 appearances, once again highlighting his hugely influential style.
Furthermore, in Adeyemi and Okafor, Salzburg holds two players capable of performing actions in wide areas when needed. They are perfectly capable of providing width in order to stretch opposing defences while also having the sharpness and swiftness to instantly run beyond the last man and latch on to the end of through passes.
What makes both players so good is, once faced with such situations, they hold the composure, calmness and ruthlessness to score goals. An impressive trait for players still so young, and just at the beginning of their rapid development.
Once Okafor is in full-flow, influencing counter-attacks he is simply unstoppable, beating his markers with electric pace, silky dribbling meshed with wonderful balance and flexibility. He can beat defenders in different ways, whether coming inside or on the outside because of his deft and deceptive movement, capable of pulling off the silky tricks we see in many footballing giants on the continent such as Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.
Against Okafor, defenders are at their most vulnerable once they feel they can stick a leg out and dispossess him. He’s capable in reading what his marker is planning to do in stopping him, and countering that defensive action with a swift knuckle-ball or a nutmeg, showing just how rapid and devastating Okafor can be in aiding his team in breaching sturdy defences.
We’ve already mentioned Okafor’s abilities in front of goal, but it deserves more praise. When the Swiss is faced with different scenarios in front of a goal, he is pretty impressive in being clinical and ruthless.
For much of this campaign, most of his goals have stemmed from him cutting inside from the left-flank before executing fine finishes past goalkeepers whether outside the penalty area or inside it. When one-on-one with the goalkeeper, he possesses a similar body positioning and posture to that of Thierry Henry when trying to score goals, shooting with the inside of his right boot beyond or below the goalkeeper with such coolness and expertness.
His five assists in the Austrian Bundesliga is also a significant sign of his abilities to provide for his teammates, stemming from a mazy dribble past his marker into the penalty area and pulling the ball back. Okafor is an expert at that, and its why he’s contributing so heavily to Red Bull Salzburg’s high-intensity and exciting approach.
It’s easy to see why clubs like Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, and Bayer Leverkusen are all scouring for his services as Okafor perfectly fits their penchant for signing up and coming talents and aiding their growth and development then ultimately selling them for huge profits, not only that though, the Swiss international fits all their footballing styles to a tee. Fast, high-intensity, energetic, frantic and chaotic; all these characteristics could be terms used to describe Okafor’s individual capabilities.
Clubs like Newcastle United and Inter Milan are also reportedly interested too, with both favouring swift counter-attacking moves which Okafor again, is perfect for.
Like is always the case with young players like the 21-year-old Swiss forward, they would have to carefully and meticulously plan out their next moves, potentially joining clubs with the perfect environment, philosophy but also without the high-pressure aura in order for them to develop seamlessly.
Okafor is a wonderful talent, a player with an admirable and humble head on his shoulders and his next club must tailor to his needs rather than the other way around, allowing him to express himself and providing him with the room to make mistakes and the mentality to use it as a developing tool. Those are the kind of environments where players built in a similar ilk to Okafor go on to become household names in future like Jadon Sancho, Erling Haaland, or even Sadio Mane.
Clubs like RB Leipzig, Leverkusen and Dortmund are clubs which significantly place an emphasis on giving young players the exposure and playing experience in their first teams, and that’s something Okafor would hugely benefit from.
He isn’t the finished article, that much is clear but if he does indeed join the right club in the near future, there’s no reason why he can’t become one of Europe’s most lethal attackers like that of his predecessors.
Chelsea just have no resources in hand but the results just on the pitch do not justify the statement. But now they will be under a real test as they face a team that are not just one of the most in-form teams in England but in Europe. Can Tuchel’s Blues still keep up the good run and finally inflict Howe’s team a blow after a great run for almost 2 months?
Adding to Reece James’ misery, Tuchel will now be without Club Captain, Azpilicueta and Christian Pulisic who are possibly out due to illness. There are still doubts over the availability of Alonso meaning that Chelsea’s wing-backs and their back-ups are all out in the same game. This will force Tuchel to shift to a back 4 with makeshift full-backs.
Full-back situation is also not good for the visitors as the right-back situation worries them with Trippier and Krafth both being ruled out. They will be joined by Hayden, Calum Wilson and Jamal Lewis. But fortunately for Howe, some key players in form of Guimaraes, Joelinton and Saint-Maximin could feature in this big clash.
For Chelsea, things just don’t get easier as the sanctions on Roman Abramovich are keeping the club paralyzed. The club just have no say in whatever is happening and now can not even spend on the basic needs. They also will have limited fan support with restrictions on ticket sales. But despite these circumstances, Thomas Tuchel and his boys just have no stopping. Their form on the pitch has been overshadowed by the talks outside being more prominent. They are fighting well for their third spot in the league and have a cushion against their opponents. But the game against Newcastle comes very early after a Thursday night clash against Norwich. Also, Newcastle stands out to be the most in-form team they face since the beginning of the ownership saga.
Chelsea will be up for the challenge as the boys have managed to keep their heads still and the last 24 hours have given some hope to the Blues. Mason Mount and Kai Havertz helped Chelsea secure a win against Norwich with the defence being as solid as ever again. Now they will hope for some magic up top to get past an in-form Newcastle team.
Newcastle have just transformed since the takeover but crediting everything to money will be absolutely wrong. The players have stepped up well and the relegation talks are now far behind them. Howe just has proved why he is one of the best managers to lead a team and the results have just proven every bit of it. The Magpies are unbeaten since the 19th of December and now will be up against the World Champions. But the crisis at Chelsea, can give Newcastle the advantage and lead the side to a result that they would have always at Stamford Bridge. Newcastle have just managed 1 win in the last 27 visits to Chelsea but this time the fortunes can definitely change with the misery of the Blues. They also enter the match after a well-earned win against Southampton in the mid-week and thus have the momentum to win the match.
PREDICTED LINEUP:
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Mendy; Christensen, T Silva, Rudiger, Sarr; Kante, Kovacic; Ziyech, Mount, Werner; Havertz.
Southampton host Newcastle United at the Saint Mary’s Stadium with the visitors being in scintillating form having won 2-1 against Brighton and Hove Albion last time out. The Saints had a season to forget last time out after suffering a horrendous 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Aston Villa with ex-Saints player Danny Ings bagging 1 goal and 2 assists.
This mid-table clash will certainly be an interesting one with both the teams being in good form over the last 5 games with Eddie Howe’s men collecting 13 points from 15 and Hassenhutl’s men collecting 10 points. Newcastle United are unbeaten during the course of the last 2 months with the Magpies unbeaten in their last 8 PL games and their last defeat coming against the Champions Manchester City on the 19th of December.
The new signings made in January after the successful take over by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund who are estimated to have over 500 billion dollars in assets and the financial backing given to Howe in the winter market is paying dividends for the club. Let’s take a look at the key players and injury news ahead of the game.
WHERE AND WHEN?
Venue: Saint Mary’s Stadium. Date: Thursday, 9th March 2022. Time: 20:00 (GMT).
For the Saints, Kyle Walker-Peters is expected to return to the team after being benched against Aston Villa last time out. Shane Long and Nathan Tella are doubts for the game with Mohammed Salisu expected to get some minutes after coming back from injury.
The Magpies are enduring an injury crisis with Isaac Hayden, Jamal Lewis, Keiran Trippier and Callum Wilson all out for the game with long term injuries. Matt Richie is also expected to miss the game since he is nursing his knee injury. Eddie Howe will have one major injury boost in attack with Allan Saint-Maximin fully fit for the game after returning to first-team action against Brighton and Hove Albion.
The 25-year-old has been a different player under Ralph Hassenhutl this season with the Scot scoring 7 goals and assisting twice in 17 appearances in the league this season. The striker’s impressive off the ball work rate has been helpful for the Saints with the striker averaging 0.59 interceptions and 0.71 tackles per 90. His partnership alongside Chelsea loanee Armando Broja has been commendable with the duo contributing to 19 goals for the Saints.
The French winger is Newcastle United’s second-highest goalscorer this season with 5 goals and also has 3 assists this season. He is averaging 0.21 goals per 90 which is the 3rd highest in the squad. He has completed 4.73 dribbles per 90 which is the highest in the Premier League and is averaging 8.19 progressive carries per game. These stats highlight the winger’s ability to dribble past his opponent and be the biggest offensive threat on the pitch. The left side of Southampton has been vulnerable with Kyle Walker-Peters who is naturally an RB playing on that side to accommodate Tino Livramento who has impressed all season on the right side.
Since Wout Weghorst joined Burnley in the mid season transfer, the Dutch has been very efficient for Sean Dyche’s team.
While many thought Weghorst won’t be able to fit in the Clarets’ side, the Dutchman has proved it to be just the opposite. In the last 7 games, Burnley looks all set to take the relegation battle to the last day. Since his addition, Weghorst has taken over the charge upfront, of scoring and creating the goals for his new club.
It is not a given to settle in a new system, this quick. We talked about Weghorst’s abilities earlier in the season, and he has proved to be a key player up front just like that.
Burnley’s style, a bonus to Weghorst’s development
Burnley has been playing under a traditional system, under the guidance of Sean Dyche. Not the tiki-taka football, nor the gegenpress, they play more high balls, and throughs, beyond the defences. So, a question arises how does it help a player of Weghorst’s stature to play in a system like Burnley’s? Well, if we break it and analyze it play-by-play we might be able to understand “this marriage” better.
Wout Weghorst, 6’4, has a tall structure and whilst heading it is easy more often than not to win them important aerial duels. So, when his teammates play the high balls upfront they expect the Dutch to be at the end of most of these balls. Similarly, if we look at his time at Wolfsburg we will clearly observe his positioning. Wout Weghorst loves playing along the defensive lines – that is, he loves playing on the shoulder of his markers. Adding to this, his long legs give him an extra boost to make darting runs forward.
In the 7 games that he has featured for Burnley, Weghorst has already combined 3 times – A goal and an assist against Brighton, followed by an assist against Manchester United. More than that his presence have been felt by all the teams that have faced Burnley, over the course of the last 7 games, since The Dutch’s move to the Premier League.
But then, one might say that Chris Wood had the same physique, so what makes Wout Weghorst any different?
Chris Wood will surely be remembered as one of the legends to have played in a Burnley shirt. The Clarets faithful can never forget his contribution. But this is football, you going to have to move on. And it seems Turf Moor has got a new face as their “hero” in Wout Weghorst. While all that’s left of Chris Wood is to reminisce.
The Dutch striker in contrast to Chris Wood has a lot of pace and strength up front. Don’t get me wrong! It is true that the Kiwi striker has skills unmatched. But if I will have to have a pick one between Weghorst or Wood, I am going to back the striker from the Netherlands. There are reasons for this. It is based on analysis and observations. Woods’ aerial prowess is highly rated, and is one of the best in the Premier League, has been for quite a long. But when comes to one-on-one situations and you need a cool, calm & composed head, even the stats favour the Dutch over the Kiwi.
In the recent games, he has shown how composed he really is. Alongside Jay Rodriguez, the two seems to be complementing each other well. With the quick passing, rhythmic one-twos, the duo has been clicking well together, as if they have been playing together for so long.
However, I will say that where Burnley lost one of their greatest players – they also might have got a player of equal caliber (in the face more of a ceiling), who can reach the same levels given all the factors are supportive (injuries, form, team environment, manger’s faith, etc.)
Brentford will go up against Newcastle United in a match-up between two sides in contrasting form in the Premier League. The Bees who are currently on a winless streak stretching to seven games in the league will go head-to-head against the Magpies who have put together a major turnaround in fortunes in recent games. Newcastle will be hoping to stretch their unbeaten run to seven games when they meet Brentford on Saturday afternoon, in a meeting of two sides touted to be heavily involved in the scrap to avoid relegation from the top flight of English football.
The hosts’ return to the top flight started strongly, but their intensity, as well as their results, have faded out in recent weeks. Brentford have lost six of their last seven games in the league, and have only picked up a solitary point in the same period. Thomas Frank’s men have not won in the league since the start of January and currently sit in 14th place with 24 points from 26 games – only four points above the relegation zone. However, their miseries can be properly put into context when it is considered that 18th-placed Burnley have three games in hand on the Bees.
Brentford’s form going into the business end of the season is a major concern for the west London outfit, who will be desperate to return to winning ways in order to maintain their hard-earned Premier League status – especially considering the recent resurgence of Burnley and Newcastle United. The Bees will go into the game off the back of a 2-1 defeat to Arsenal in their last outing, and while home form continues to be a problem with seven league defeats at home this season already – they will go up against a Newcastle side with the second-worst away form this season.
The visitors, however, find themselves on the other end of the spectrum when it comes to recent form. Since the turn of the new year, the Magpies are unbeaten and have not lost for six games – while securing three wins and three draws in the same period. Their recent resurgence in fortunes has taken them out of the relegation zone to 17th position in the standings with 22 points – where they are two points clear of Burnley, but at the same time, are only five adrift of Leicester City at 12th – which stands testimony of the brilliant work Eddie Howe has put in since his appointment.
Newcastle United have looked like a refurbished side since Howe took over the reins, and the Englishman has been helped by his. My January reinforcements to plug a few holes in his team. However, away form remains a major concern as they have only picked up seven points from 11 games on their travels, and boast of the second-worst away record this season. History does favour Newcastle in this fixture, as the Magpies have not lost to Brentford in the league since 1948, but the reverse fixture earlier this season ended in a pulsating 3-3 draw at St James’ Park.
WHEN AND WHERE?
Date: Saturday, 26th February 2022. Time: 3 pm (UK). Venue: Brentford Community Stadium.
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Mike Dean. Assistant Referee: Eddie Smart, Mark Scholes. Fourth Official: Andy Madley. VAR: Darren England, Derek Eaton.
The hosts will be boosted by the return of the talismanic Ivan Toney, who will be available for selection after a spell out, while Mathias Jensen and Mathias Jørgensen might also be set for a return to the squad. Their January signing Christian Eriksen is also likely to be in the Brentford squad for the first time after building up his fitness in behind-closed-doors games, while Vitaly Janelt and Shandon Baptiste can also return to the starting eleven. While Tarique Fosu and Julian Jeanvier are still out with injury, Yoane Wissa is likely to drop out for the returning Toney, with nailed-on starter Bryan Mbeumo starting alongside Toney upfront.
As for the visitors, Callum Wilson, Allan Saint-Maximin, Kieran Trippier, Isaac Hayden and Matt Ritchie are all unavailable through injury, but Javier Manquillo and Ryan Fraser could overcome issues to start. Howe selected a back four against West Ham and could do the same against Brentford, meaning that Jamal Lascelles might have to accept a spot on the bench once again, with Fabian Schär operating alongside Dan Burn in the middle. Bruno Guimaraes is still waiting to make his first Premier League start for the Magpies, but the Brazilian is expected to continue on the bench due to the form of Willock, Joelinton and Jonjo Shelvey in midfield.
Brentford’s form in recent weeks has been extremely worrying, and they will hope to return to winning ways against Newcastle – although it will not be easy by any means. The Magpies have been in commendable form, having switched between a back four and a back five with comfort depending on their opposition. The signings of Burn and Matt Targett have revitalized their back line which has conceded only four times in their last six games – a major contrast from the 11 goals that they conceded in their previous three games. Joelinton has found new life in his new position in midfield, alongside the ever-dependent Jonjo Shelvey and Joe Willock who scored in their last outing. Upfront, Chris Wood will look to make life difficult for Brentford’s back three while Ryan Fraser and Josh Murphy will hope to feed him.
Hence, it will not be an easy task for a team that has looked as out-of-sorts as the Bees have looked in recent weeks. Defence has been a major concern for Brentford who have conceded 16 goals in their last seven league outings, while scoring only four times in the same time period. The absence of Ivan Toney through injury has made things substantially worse for the Bees in front of goal – Brentford have scored only once in the league in four games since Toney last netted for them in the loss to Wolves in January. A lean spell for his strike partner Bryan Mbuemo has also contributed to their lack of goals, as the Nigerian has not scored since the Bees’ win against Watford in December. However, Christian Nørgaard’s performance in midfield has been a rare positive – the Dane scored in the Bees’ last league outing against Arsenal.
The hosts’ key to bounce back to winning ways is none other than their talisman Ivan Toney. The returning Englishman has not been in action since he netted in January’s defeat to Wolves, and his return will pose as a boost to the Bees who have looked devoid of any threat upfront in recent weeks. Ivan Toney was in good form before he got sidelined through injury, having netted in his last two games for Brentford – and Toney will hope to pick up from where he left off against his former side, in order for the Bees to get anything from the game.
As for the visitors, in the absence of Callum Wilson, Allan Saint-Maximin and Kieran Trippier, their key for the Brentford outing is Joelinton. The Brazilian has been a revelation in his new position in the middle of the pitch, as he has proven to have enough composure as well as ability on the ball to be a key progressor of the ball for Eddie Howe. Likely to go up against a midfield five on Saturday, Joelinton will be important if Newcastle are to have any control of the middle third against a Brentford side who are comfortable in possession – and he will be buoyed by his strike against the same opponents when the sides last met in a 3-3 draw in November.
West Ham United host Newcastle United this weekend, in what is building up to be a significant tie for both sides as they look to fulfil their ambitions spanning both extremes of the league table over the coming weeks. With both clubs in need of finding a consistent run of positive results to achieve their goal for the season, Saturday’s fixture is likely to provide a mouth-watering match-up for the neutral.
Currently enduring a slump in form following their impressive start to the campaign, West Ham will be hoping to bounce back in contention for top-four after failing to secure three points at Leicester last weekend. With the team in need of gaining consistent results to stay alive in the race for a Champions League spot, manager David Moyes will be keen on avoiding an upset and securing a comfortable three points on Saturday.
Meanwhile, having registered three consecutive victories, Newcastle United will be eyeing a significant three points as they look to pull out of a relegation battle heading into the remainder of the campaign. With the team growing increasingly confident in securing vital results following a busy winter transfer window, manager Eddie Howe will be keen on, at least, securing a point heading to a palpable London Stadium this weekend.
WHEN & WHERE?
Venue: London Stadium. Date: Saturday, 19th of February 2022. Time: Kick-off at 12:30 BST.
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Chris Kavanagh. Assistants: Constantine Hatzidakis, James Mainwaring. Fourth official: Graham Scott. VAR: Jarred Gillett. Assistant VAR: Harry Lennard.
West Ham are without the services of Angelo Ogbonna and Arthur Masuaku, although Kurt Zouma is likely to return to the match-day squad after recovering from illness for Saturday’s fixture.
Moyes is likely to field the same starting line-up that drew against Leicester, with Zouma and Said Benrahma emerging as the only players likely to push for a starting spot against Newcastle this weekend.
Numerous injuries could impede Newcastle’s hopes of avoiding relegation, with Kieran Tripper emerging as the latest addition to a scroll of key players out of contention for the weekend. Callum Wilson, Matt Ritchie, Javier Manquillo, Federico Fernandez, and Issac Hayden remain sidelined with injuries, although club captain Jamaal Lascelles is likely to return to the match-day squad for the clash against West Ham.
Matt Targett, too, is expected to return to the starting line-up, while new signing Bruno Guimaraes is set to remain on the bench following an impressive performance by the team’s midfield trio comprising Jonjo Shelvey, Joelinton, and Joe Willock last weekend. A change in formation could likely see Chris Wood and Allan Saint-Maximin lead the line on Saturday.
With both teams needing a victory, Saturday’s encounter is likely to provide a refreshing match-up for the neutral. Having witnessed a string of inconsistent results, the hosts will be hoping to secure three points this weekend while the visitors will be looking to increase the point gap at the bottom of the table; looking to avoid relegation at the end of the campaign.
Given West Ham’s creative prowess across the attacking third, Newcastle will be wary of losing possession in key areas on Saturday. The Irons are likely to exploit the space on the flanks whilst also focusing on keeping the shape compact in a bid to dominate the midfield battle against a comparatively weaker Newcastle midfield this weekend. Moreover, with the possibility of Zouma returning to the line-up, West Ham will be looking to keep a clean sheet and seek advantage on set pieces throughout the game on Saturday.
Meanwhile, having shown their dynamism in their last three league outings, Newcastle will be keen on frustrating the opposition on Saturday. Expected to play to their strengths despite the threat of conceding first, the Magpies will be looking to physically impose themselves on the opposition whilst negating their impact through the flanks for most of the ninety minutes. Additionally, with Howe likely to employ a 3-5-2 formation, Newcastle will be looking to maintain pressure on the opposition’s full-backs and win turnovers in possession in a bid to unsettle the hosts on Saturday.
West Ham’s most impressive performer in recent weeks, Bowen is likely to play a vital role in deciding the result on Saturday. Having already registered 21 goal contributions in the ongoing campaign, a favourable tie against Newcastle offers the winger a significant opportunity to deliver, yet another, impressive performance at the London Stadium.
Bowen’s threatening pace combined with sublime technical ability is likely to unsettle Newcastle’s backline on Saturday. Given his good form in front of goal, the winger will be looking forward to delivering an impressive display against the Magpies.
Newcastle’s most lively threat across the attacking third, Saint-Maximin will be keen on contributing to a favourable result on Saturday. Having registered two goals and an assist in his last five outings, the Frenchman emerges as a player capable of unsettling the home side this weekend.
Having kept only two clean sheets in their last five outings, West Ham will be wary of Saint-Maximin’s attributes in possession. Given the host side’s vulnerabilities in the backline, the Frenchman will look to provide adequate support to Chris Wood whilst attracting defenders in a bid to create space within the box on Saturday.
PREDICTED LINE-UPS
West Ham United (4-2-3-1) –Lukasz Fabianski; Vladimir Coufal, Craig Dawson, Kurt Zouma, Aaron Creswell; Declan Rice, Tomas Soucek; Jarrod Bowen, Pablo Fornals, Manuel Lanzini; Michail Antonio.
Newcastle United (3-5-2) –Martin Dubravka; Fabian Schar, Jamaal Lascelles, Dan Burn; Emil Krafth, Joe Willock, Jonjo Shelvey, Joelinton, Matt Targett; Chris Wood, Allan Saint-Maximin.
Tottenham Hotspur, Burnley and Newcastle United are running against time to arrive in time for their weekend games as Storm Eunice has affected their travelling plans.
Spurs and Burnley are part of a few clubs who are looking to rearrange their flight ahead of their Premier League games against Manchester City and Brighton & Hove Albion respectively.
The roof of the @SpursOfficial football ground is currently pulsating up and down in the wind!
According to reports, the people of the UK are currently battling Storm Eunice with scores told to stay indoors on Friday. Should their flights not be able to carry on as planned, both teams will have to use a long-haul bus journey for their away trips this weekend.
While Spurs are yet to decide on their travelling schedule, the Clarets have already seen their flights cancelled and are said to be considering a different plan.
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe also confirmed that they could see their travel plans disrupted by the storm, telling reporters: “We are planning to fly down to London this afternoon.
“We will wait to see if there is any change to our flight and we are prepared to travel by coach if need be.
“So we are waiting to hear. Our plans are unchanged at the moment. The only disruption we’ve had this week is our training ground has been disrupted by heavy winds.
“Our training ground is exposed to heavy winds anyway so it has been slightly difficult this week. But nothing else has affected us so we are all good.”
Reports indicate that the storm has sparked two rare red weather warnings earlier today as Brits brace for what could get worse in the next years ahead.
The current conditions in the region forced the Met Office to issue a ‘danger to life’ warning with ‘flying debris’ also expected.
Should Tottenham and Burnley fail to rearrange their travel plans, it could affect their games over the weekend.
The newest gameweek of the Premier League season brings with it another GW of the Fantasy Premier League. With the teams approaching the final third of the season, managers are desperate to get the maximum amount of points for their fantasy teams, and what better way to do it than to choose some of the most clinical forwards in the game. In this watchlist, we will suggest some of the most trustworthy picks for the upcoming gameweek to help get you points.
The first name on our list is Odsonne Edouard of Crystal Palace. The French forward did not have a very productive start to his season with the Eagles, but has recently hit his stride with five-goal involvements (3 goals and 2 assists) in his last five Premier League games. As a result, the 24-year-old Frenchman was the most transferred in player in the game in Gameweek 24 of the FPL, with over 144,000 opting for his services that come at a modest price of only £6.5m.
Edouard’s season tally is now up to six, making him the Eagles second top scorer in the league only after Conor Gallagher. Palace’s fixture this week should further boost his chances of being in your team, as the Eagles go up against Norwich City at Carrow Road – while the Canaries have the joint second-worst defence in the division, Palace have been one of the strongest away sides this season – only Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool and West Ham have scored more goals.
The next name on our list is Allan Saint-Maximin of Newcastle United. The exciting French forward has been the Magpies’ talisman with a tally of 84 points, and after a winter transfer window full of reinforcements after the Saudi takeover: Saint-Maximin will look to unlock his best form and lead the Magpies team into what can be a bright new future. The Tyneside outfit return to action against an Everton side who have had their new manager only for a week.
The Frenchman will hope to cause all sorts of trouble to a backline that are ranked as the joint second-worst team away from home this season, and have conceded 35 goals this season. Saint-Maximin at his best is one of the most dangerous dribblers in the division, and being in good form with two goals in his last three Premier League games – he will hope to link up with new signing Chris Wood against Everton in their first Premier League game under Frank Lampard.
The last name on our list is Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane. The England skipper has found his groove back after having an uncharacteristic barren start to his league season, as Antonio Conte’s ascension to the helm at the North London outfit has revitalized the forward’s form. Kane has scored three goals and an assist in his last five Premier League games and taken his tally to five goals for the season – and is finally starting to look like the deadly forward who we all know.
The Lilywhites will go up against Southampton this game week, a fixture that further encourages his credentials to be in your Fantasy team. Kane has an exceptional record against the Saints with 9 goals in his last 10 games against them, and will look to add to his tally. Southampton have been the second-worst defence away from home this season, having conceded 24 goals on their travels (only Norwich have conceded more) – and it is likely for them to concede a few more this gameweek.
