Foot & Soccer Soccer Match Reports, Football News
Final weekend’s 3-1 victory at Southampton was simply what we would have liked. We weren’t at our greatest, however didn’t actually should get out of second gear and recovered nicely from a poor begin to get again to successful methods.
It’s now 10 wins in 11 for Eddie Howe’s Mags, who will probably be seeking to bounce again from that 4-1 defeat to Bournemouth a fortnight in the past with three factors over Fulham.
Marco Silva’s aspect are not any mugs away from residence, nonetheless. They’ve misplaced simply one in every of their final seven on the street, recording wins at Chelsea and Nottingham Forest, together with a hard-fought level at Liverpool to date this season.
There’ll be no room for complacency, particularly with the top-four locations so tight and a tricky run of fixtures on the horizon, with Man Metropolis (A), Forest (H) and Liverpool (A) set to observe a cup double towards Arsenal and Birmingham.
On very important run of video games – “The subsequent group of video games will probably be essential for us. Each consequence takes on large significance. We’ve got been on a run of outcomes and doing nicely, so we have to carry that on.”
On Almiron’s departure – “Miggy was a really particular participant and particular person, he will probably be enormously missed by everybody. Miggy had a bubbly and vivid persona, he was extremely skilled. He would all the time be in taking care of himself, consuming the proper meals and recovering, he was a very good function mannequin. Miggy goes to be enormously missed as a participant and as an individual. He all the time gave his finest, in any second.”
On Fulham take a look at – “If you play Fulham, you may see their qualities, they’re very courageous with each facet, with and with out the ball. They’ve added some gamers which have made their crew very aggressive, they had been very spectacular towards us. We all know this will probably be a tricky recreation and we’ll by no means underestimate Fulham.”
On January transfers – “Miggy going leaves us a bit brief in that space but it surely was a deal we would have liked to do due to PSR. “Because it stands, I count on the squad will stay the identical. We knew this window can be one we wouldn’t recruit in. We’re not actively seeking to carry gamers in”
Callum Wilson (hamstring), Harvey Barnes (thigh) and Jamaal Lascelles (ACL) stay out, though it’s hoped our No.9 may very well be again within the subsequent week, with Barnes nonetheless ‘two or three weeks’ away.
For Fulham, Harry Wilson is ready for a protracted spell on the sidelines after injuring himself in final week’s 1-0 defeat to Man Utd, with right-back Kenny Tete additionally out.
(4-3-3): Dubravka – Livramento, Schar, Burn, Corridor – Bruno, Tonali, Joelinton – Murphy, Isak, Gordon.
The vast majority of the crew appears settled after 10 wins in our final 11, however Howe has a number of choice dilemmas on the again.
Does he stick by Dubravka or recall a fit-again Pope? And can Schar hold his place on the again after Botman was benched in final weekend’s 3-1 win at Southampton?
Schar hasn’t been notably convincing in his final two outings, however his potential to play out from the again may also help us get on the entrance foot at residence. Botman will probably be eased again in and I’m not satisfied Howe will change a successful aspect or swap goalkeepers till Dubravka provides him a motive to take action.
The midfield picks itself and so does our entrance three, with Gordon, Murphy and Isak hoping for a extra fruitful residence recreation after struggling to create a lot in any respect towards Bournemouth two weeks in the past.
Hopefully that Bournemouth defeat was nothing greater than a blip, the place the Cherries – who simply battered Forest 5-0 – had been on fireplace and we allowed complacency to slide in after a run of snug wins.
That may’t occur once more this weekend and I don’t suppose it is going to. Fulham received’t be straightforward and have some superb gamers – left-back Antonee Robinson could also be Murphy’s hardest take a look at of the season – however I believe we’ll do sufficient to edge them out in a stable residence win.
Prediction: Newcastle 2-0 Fulham
Howay the lads!
