It’s a side that can’t win against a side that can’t win when crucial Premier League hostilities begin again come Wednesday night. Panic stations alerted.
Both Newcastle United and Burnley – about to be locked in battle at SJP – are on an unlucky streak of seven matches.
United haven’t tasted a PL home victory during that long period and Burnley, so good until now, haven’t collected three points anywhere dating back to December 12.
This really is a crunch match for the Mags because while they have dithered on home soil an unexpected Swansea win over Liverpool last weekend and Stoke over Huddersfield plus a point apiece for Southampton (home to Spurs), West Brom, and Bournemouth tightened up by bottom of the table no end.
You can throw a handkerchief over the bottom six up to Newcastle with only three points, a solitary victory, covering the lot.
United broke a disastrous run of five successive home defeats with two draws in their last two outings among the faithful, but they weren’t good results coming against Brighton and Swansea when sides which are to attain safety are expected to succeed.
So here we go again. More nerves, more apprehension, more bitten finger nails. Who said the number seven is lucky?
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It isn’t greedy to want Newcastle to beat both Chelsea in the FA Cup tomorrow and Burnley but Wednesday is unquestionably the more important in most biased eyes. Having just regained PL status giving it up immediately is unthinkable.
Burnley may have drawn three and lost four of their last seven games but they have come across Manchester United home and away, Liverpool and Spurs. They remain eighth top, a dizzy height that suggests danger come Wednesday night.
Manager Sean Dyche, seen as a miracle worker, has signed a new contract and signed Aaron Lennon as he will look to complete a double over the Mags having won 1-0 at Turf Moor at the end of October.
Newcastle simply cannot allow that or they will be running out of options.
Of course Wednesday marks the closure of the transfer window which is almost as important as the match itself.
We’ve recruited Kenedy but more are required and not just one in a perfect world – which is not where United currently reside.
Once when a British Rail clerk at the Central Station was their local scout Burnley were packed with North East stars. Jack Hixon’s Turf Moor haul included the likes of Ralph Coates, Brian O’Neil, Dave Thomas, Les Latcham, Arthur Bellamy, Dave Merrington, Fred Smith, John Murray, Ray Ternent, Stan Ternent, and Michael Buxton.
The Clarets once arrived at SJP for a reserve match with a team totally comprising of Geordies from keeper to outside left. Come Wednesday night Tyneside cannot afford to be so generous to Burnley FC once again.