Who will triumph in the intriguing battle of Magpies line leaders past and present?
IN-FORM MITRO A THORN IN RAFA’S SIDE
spree like a thorn in his side. I was unconvinced by Mitro up here where he looked sluggish, disinterested at times and always walking the disciplinary tightrope - but he insists that was because of the way he was forced to play and that he has been unleashed by a supportive Slavisa Jokanovic. Certainly confidence and a feeling of being loved is important to most players and hopefully Rondon can have that up here as Mitro now has in the Smoke. Significantly, Jokanovic said after Mitro’s two-goal salvo sank Burnley: “His attitude is fantastic, he is a quality player. Aleksandar can keep us in the Premier League.” Rondon’s league cup goal at Nottingham when going on as a late sub at least meant he had put down a marker if it achieved nothing else in terms of the team. Joselu’s positivity must have increased with his brace of goals, though of course we still wait to see if they were a passing whim as many would believe rather than a permanent change to the norm.
When you play Man City you need patience and organisation, declared Nuno Espirito Santo after his Wolves side surprisingly halted the blue juggernaut last week.
United will certainly need that in abundance when the smarting champions come home tomorrow tea-time hell bent on a quick return to the winner’s enclosure, having sacrificed their accustomed top spot.
You can say United have been unlucky each time they have set foot on PL soil – a second-half fightback deserved a point against Spurs, a last-minute penalty miss deprived them of victory at Cardiff and an own goal four minutes from time brought defeat by Chelsea. However, the bottom line is one point has been gathered out of nine and yet another league cup exit to a team from a division down in midweek has hardly lifted Tyne depression. Now the champions lie in wait with Arsenal to follow. Not a happy state of affairs. When will it all end? Very shortly or long term?