Newcastle United will be hoping to build on their comprehensive win at Hull City when they welcome Stoke City to St James’ Park on Sunday.
The Magpies had to deal with a lot of uncertainty in January as the club took their time before confirming John Carver as the permanent head coach following Alan Pardew’s departure. That was also a period in which the active transfer window churned out speculation surrounding Moussa Sissoko, Cheick Tiote and Papiss Demba Cisse.
Their form consequently dipped as they lost three of the first four games after Pardew left for Crystal Palace. The Toon Army are now looking forward to a strong finish to the season after all their big players stayed put, Carver was confirmed as the head coach and they secured a resounding win last weekend.
Daryl Janmaat believes that his settled team-mates could recapture the form they showed in October and November when they won six games on the spin. A win in this clash could push the Magpies into the top-half of the table in place of their opponents, while also providing a good platform for their next fixture at Pardew’s Palace on Wednesday.
Stoke City will be aiming to maintain their current form as they have won four of their last five games in all competitions, including a 3-1 win over Queens Park Rangers in which Jonathan Walters bagged a hat-trick last weekend.
Walters is a doubt for the Potters’ trip to Newcastle though because he did not train in midweek due to a minor knee problem. Mark Hughes has been careful with him but the centre forward will be desperate to keep his place in the side given that he has scored five goals in his last two games.
Newcastle United team news
- Siem de Jong (thigh muscle strain), Rolando Aarons (hamstring), Steven Taylor (calf) and Ryan Taylor (knee) are all sidelined.
- Rob Elliot is a doubt with a thigh injury while Cheick Tiote remains at the AFCON with Ivory Coast.
Stoke City team news
- Ryan Shawcross was forced off during the win over QPR with a back injury and is a doubt for this one.
- Peter Odemwingie, Bojan Krkic (both knee) and Erik Pieters (hernia) are all on the long-term injured list for the Potters.
- Walters is a doubt with a knee problem.
Newcastle United vs Stoke City prediction
Carver may retain the side that defeated Hull City, which means Vurnon Anita and Jack Colback would start in central midfield with Moussa Sissoko flanked by Sammy Ameobi and Remy Cabella, while Ayoze Perez continues to lead the attacks in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Hughes may use a similar 4-2-3-1 formation and if there is a chance that in-form Walters is ready to start, he will probably lead the attack with Marko Arnautovic and Victor Moses on the sides of Stephen Ireland as the attacking midfield trio, while Glenn Whelan and Steven N’Zonzi operate as the holding midfielders.
This match could be a slow burner that needs a goal to spark it into life as neither side are in immediate danger of relegation but they are also not high enough in the table to fight for European qualification.
