Real Football Man All of the Football, All of the time
Stoke go into this game off the back of beating basement side Aston Villa at The Weekend. That win has put them on the fringes of a Europa League place and they will aim to enhance their aspirations with a win Tonight over relegation battling Newcastle.
Marko Arnautovic was the key man on Saturday as his brace of goals gave Stoke their second win in a row and just one point away from the 40 point marker which usually signifies safety. That’s one objective reached, can they now achieve another.
If they are to edge further up the table then they will need to make sure The Britannia is a fortress between now and the end of the season. In the reverse fixture Jack Butland saved everything but the kitchen sink as Newcastle looked for a goal. It was Stoke who ran out 1-0 winners that Afternoon and Steve McClaren will no doubt be looking to exact some revenge this Evening.
The two wins in a row have been a turnaround for Stoke who previous to that went 4 games without a win, the injury to Ryan Shawcross has seemingly made a massive difference but Mark Hughes will no doubt be pleased that they have returned to winning ways without him.
Their opposition Newcastle are precariously hovering around the drop zone and Steve McClaren’s side need to start picking up some wins if they don’t want a repeat of last season’s relegation battle in which John Carver was dead man walking as The Magpies slide down the table.
They had no fixture at the Weekend but last time out they were thumped 5-1 by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, a miserable evening for all connected at the club and results like that show why there is every possibility they good down this season.
They went big in the January Transfer Window as the seemed to roll the dice but it doesn’t seem as if those signings are bearing fruit just yet. Jonjo Shelvey and Andros Townsend in particular have had glimpses of looking good but they need to make sure they do it on a week to week basis to aid Newcastle’s survival hopes.
Those hopes would be massively boosted with a win at The Britannia this Evening, whether they will get it though I’m not so sure. Stoke are a hard nut to crack especially in front of their own fans and I can’t see past all 3 points for Mark Hughes’ side. Home win for me.
