Toon lucking for a step up

CRIES of ‘conspiracy’ and ‘fix’ met Newcastle United’s latest nightmare cup draw in some dark corners of the internet this week.

Toon boss Eddie Howe says he “nearly swerved off the road” when his side were hit with their latest dose of cup trouble in drawing Manchester City away, everyone’s worst possible scenario.

Of course this came on top of the other cup draws this season. In the Champions League it was Milan, PSG and Dortmund home and away in the group of death.

In the Carabao Cup they pulled Man City at home, Man United away, and then Chelsea away.

In the FA Cup Sunderland – away inevitably – wasn’t exactly the easiest Third-round option, and neither was Fulham – yes, away from home in London – in the fourth.

Now, Howe’s men have to keep their season alive by getting a result at The Etihad.

They have lost the last nine games there to an aggregate score of 30-3! Nobody on Tyneside is booking semi final hotels in London just yet.

But a conspiracy? Cooked up by a cartel of clubs who want to hurt the Saudi-owned new kids on the block?

Don’t be daft. It is simple bad luck. Absolutely rotten misfortune, on top of the injuries, mishaps and some refereeing injustices. That 97th-minute penalty award to PSG still hurts and was a damaging turning point of the campaign.

These are the rollercoaster uncontrollables of football. Not any sinister plot.

The opposite happened last season. Howe fashioned his side into an unstoppable juggernaut and everything aligned. Amid the toils on the pitch recently, you do wonder whether, after the ill-winds of the season so far, whether the footballing gods are about to turn.

Howe is getting players back. You’ve got to beat Man City at some point to win the cup. And Liverpool or Man United probably on top of that.

It wouldn’t be beyond this club to provide one last adventure just when all seemed lost.