JOHNGIBSON
RIGHT, like it or not, it’s clear as crystal.
If Newcastle are to survive they MUST relegate a club currently above them in a disastrous Premier League table.
And that means dragging Cardiff City back into the mire come Saturday at SJP. No ifs or buts. This is it.
Defeat at Chelsea was sadly all too predictable given United’s results against top-six sides, and marooned them in the bottom three because of points gained by others of desperation.
So if we cling to the belief that Huddersfield and Fulham are favourites to go down, then who will be the third club? Cardiff are the Geordie hope. Cue the next PL match.
Maybe United retained their dignity (and decent goal difference) at Stamford Bridge as so often against the elite, Liverpool apart, but the bottom line is that they haven’t secured a solitary point out of 24 available in these encounters.
It’s all so obvious, and while Mike Ashley suddenly re-emerged from his festive hibernation to witness his club’s death throes, there is no real reason for us to suddenly think he is about to board a white charger and come to his manager’s rescue by signing quality foot soldiers.
Incidentally, Rio Ferdinand’s vocal support on BT Sport of Ashley, with whom he admits he has business links, was nothing short of embarrassing in its total disregard of facts and inflaming in its jut-jawed biased defiance.
United were beaten by a goal which was a self-inflicted wound and a superlative winner from Willian the conqueror.
In between, a sumptuous headed finish by Ciaran Clark from a Matt Ritchie corner was rendered a waste.
It took only eight minutes for United to fall behind due to naive defending by Ritchie and Clark, whose lack of communication and collective understanding allowed Chelsea to cash in.
When David Luiz struck a great long-range pass Ritchie, hardly a defender by nature, didn’t know whether to stick or twist, allowing Pedro to run off the back of him.
Clark reacted far too slowly to the danger and Pedro neatly lobbed the keeper.
At least Ritchie and Clark made up for it somewhat in the 39th minute with United’s equaliser.
Willian’s winner on 56 minutes was a magnificent right-footed curler when defenders didn’t get to him quick enough following an Eden Hazard pass.
If we cling to the belief that Fulham and Huddersfield are favourites to go down, then who will be the third club?