Bring home points to buck poor trend
MAGPIES MUST SHOW WORTH AGAINST WOLVES
DEFIANTLY resilient on the road, Newcastle are about to be thrown to the Wolves in their efforts to reverse the sort of home record which is nothing short of shocking.
Six losses from eight Premier League outings on Geordie territory is truly awful whichever way you look at it.
It is no way to reward loyal support or to entertain the faithful. It is, in truth, the form of relegation fearers, the results of players suffering from stage fright in front of a big audience, and simply has to be righted - no question.
To many, of course, United have the perfect opportunity to put home points on the board come Sunday tea.
Wolves were in freefall, having lost five games in a six-match winless run before a shock 2-1 victory on home grass against Chelsea in midweek.
Nevertheless, they remain the sort of side you would wish to meet when attempting to right a wrong.
However, Brighton, without an away PL victory in almost a calendar year, and West Ham, residing beneath United in the lower reaches, also looked like ideal opponents for a side seeking lift-off and we all know what happened then.
We all want to believe the three-goal mauling by the Hammers last time out was merely a blip.
United have still taken 11 points from the last 18 on offer and victory over Wolves would provide another flip in fortunes during what is turning out to be a crazy old season.
Incredibly, United are different away. They are sturdy on the road where in seven matches they have won once, drawn four times and lost only twice.
Everton are a good side yet the Magpies were never behind to them and were well worthy of their point.
Two defeats away but six at home. Yeah, it is crazy all right.
Rafa Benitez has a reputation of being something of a tinkerman and his team selection against Wolves will be interesting - not just because the impressive Fabian Schar is suspended.
United’s manager has to decide what to do with wingers Christian Atsu
(right) and Jacob Murphy, who were in almost permanent hibernation prior to Goodison, while a string of big-hitters such as Matt Ritchie, Kenedy, Jonjo Shelvey, Ayoze Perez and new signing Yoshinori Muto are jostling for a start.
It is a bad time for Schar to be forced to sacrifice a hard-earned and wonderfully-protected place in Benitez’s thoughts with skipper Jamaal Lascelles fit to resume but then football is no respecter of what is deserved. Glory be, we have a leading goalscorer out on his own at long last.
Salomon Rondon’s strike at Everton was his third PL bullseye and he has reached the heady heights of four if you include his League Cup goal.
It has taken until almost Christmas for someone to overhaul the most unlikely of front-runners, Joselu, who notched twice in United’s first three matches.
Well, get the winner on Sunday, Salomon, just as you did to become an instant hero against Bournemouth.
That is what No 9s are supposed to do up here.