Magpies flying high after one Ell of a win against Whites
NEWCASTLE United set off on their flight to Jeddah yesterday and travelled to the Middle East in great spirits after their 1-0 win at Leeds United.
The luxury chartered flight, ahead of the six-day stay in Saudi Arabia, signalled the start of what hread coach Eddie Howe has already described as a working trip in the backdrop of the Red Sea.
United’s trip will be rounded off with a friendly game against Al-Ittihad at the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium.
Whether the Magpies return with the squad size increased remains to be seen but the season finally has the lift off it needed after a big victory at Elland Road.
Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi celebrate win with players on team bus
The new co-owners celebrated their second victory since arriving in October and showed the unity and togetherness around the club is genuine these days.
The previous owner Mike Ashley would occasionally join players for an annual meal or appear in the locker room at the end of a season but the new directors don’t want to miss a moment, it seems.
The Ripon financier joined players on the bus with her husband and the pair are expected to join the squad in the Middle East this week.
The solitary away win will not save the season on its own but the situation is looking a lot better moving into February.
In a season in which Newcastle could have been dead and buried by now, Newcastle’s hierarchy can enjoy the next few days.
After a week in which they received a legal threat from Ashley over the removal of Sports Direct signs and media criticism, slowly but surely the new owners are improving the club – although the major changes in some departments needed were never going to happen overnight.
Players told to expect more new signings
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe insisted the trip to Leeds was very much about the players he has at his disposal here and now.
However, Howe himself has stated he expects a “few more” signings in the final week of the window and the club’s Middle East owners will be with them this week, meaning less phone calls and Zoom conferences between countries.
That should speed up some deals but sources behind the scenes say that the current squad have been told to expect more new faces before the window shuts for business this month.
A First clean sheet on the road this season seals important victory
You would not have thought it at the time but Newcastle’s clean sheet at Fulham at the end of last season would be the last away-day shutout for eight months for the Magpies.
It is no wonder the players were hugging Martin Dubravka at the final whistle.
With a bit of luck the wait will shorter for the next clean sheet for Dubravka and co.