A familiar face makes presence felt in stalemate
LEE RYDER’S NOTES ON SATURDAY’S 1-1 DRAW AGAINST FULHAM
ALEKSANDAR Mitrovic may not have completely ruined Newcastle United’s night by scoring on his return to St James’ Park – but the Serbian international certainly made his presence felt.
Mitrovic had Fulham on the frontfoot for 76 minutes as the Cottagers dominated possession for most of the game.
The former Toon crowd favourite then took on the role of cheerleader from the stands with shouts of “Keep it going lads” and “Come on boys” as Fulham threatened to nick a winner.
Positioned in the seats above the dugout, Mitrovic then stormed from the stands and back into the technical area to claim a penalty after the ball had skipped up to hit Ciaran Clark’s hand late on.
Mitrovic confronted the fourth official Jarred Gillett and then his former team-mate Paul Dummett during an angry rant.
The passion Mitro showed during his time on Tyneside certainly hasn’t shown any signs of fading away.
Newcastle’s penalty joy continues to save the day
There was once a time when Newcastle couldn’t buy a penalty for love nor money but Callum Wilson’s successful conversion in the second half was United’s third in six games.
Incredibly, they won only three in their previous 58 matches in the top-flight but they now have a man with ice running through his veins in Wilson to stick them away.
Wilson’s tally of eight goals from 12 games for Newcastle now puts him on the same tally as he managed in 35 Premier League games for AFC Bournemouth.
Quite simply, if Newcastle continue to provide Wilson with service they’ll have no problems staying up.
United can’t keep a clean sheet at home in the Premier League
It’s now 11 matches since Newcastle last recorded a shutout at home in the top-flight.
You’d have to go back to June for the 3-0 win over Sheffield United to find the last clean sheet at home which was picked up by Martin Dubravka.
Karl Darlow has managed shutouts at Crystal Palace and West Ham this term but the home woes on that front are now as bad as 2005 and the days of Graeme Souness.
Where is the next Premier League win going to come from?
Call me the voice of doom but when exactly are Newcastle expected to win next in the Premier League after failing to beat either newly-promoted Leeds or Fulham?
Man City away is never easy for United and Liverpool are in red hot form with Newcastle facing the 2019 title holders and current champs in their next two games.
It’s Leicester City who then see in 2021 at St James’ Park and it would be a brave person who bets against the Foxes on January 3.
Newcastle’s next winnable fixture comes on January 12 against struggling Sheffield United on a Tuesday night.
With cup appointments at Brentford and Arsenal either side of Christmas, this is the toughest segment of the season for Steve Bruce and co.