Time for the Tyne-Tees derby, where the victor will claim bragging rights, just in time for Christmas.
Newcastle are sitting happy at the top and look on course to go straight back up at the first attempt, whilst Middlesbrough are struggling to cope since being relegated from the Premier League.
I'm attending tomorrow's game at St. James' Park as a neutral, I'm hoping for a good game of football which I witnessed when I attended this same fixture last year.
Although the rivalry is not the biggest in the North East, it still counts and the fans will turn out in force to prove that.
Boro lie 14th in the table, but don't let that fool you, they perform well away from home and tend to score quite a few goals on their travels.
Also they now have Gordon Strachan in charge and perhaps he hasn't changed the teams fortunes much since he arrived, but don't forget he has plenty of experience in one of the biggest derbies in the world, the Old Firm.
Geordie striker Andy Carroll is suspended for the game after picking up five yellow cards this season.
Danny Guthrie is scheduled to return and the Toon should be at near enough full strength, Joey Barton apart. Plus left back Jose Enrique will hope to keep up his good form as he picks up his November player of the month award before kick off.
The Teesiders have a few injury worries before the big match, Adam Johnson, Jeremie Aliadiere, Didier Digard, Seb Hines and Chris Riggott are all out. And with defender Sean St Ledger ending his loan spell and returning to Preston, Strachan will have to reshape his team.
One interesting point for the Smoggies is that striker Dave Kitson has never featured in a derby game and with the form he is in, the big ginger fellow is one to watch.
No comments:
Post a Comment