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West Brom vs Newcastle – Premier League Match Preview

West Brom sacked their manager eight days ago but their hunt for a first Premier League win since August continues, that said they did manage a point against Tottenham at Wembley last Saturday with Salomon Rondon’s early goal then making life very difficult for Mauricio Pochettino’s men.

The man on the touchline may have changed but it seems as not a lot has changed for Tony Pulis read Gary Megson and the two spent 40 minutes on the phone last weekend before the game against last season’s Premier League runners-up.

Just how much influence the former West Brom boss had in the result can be argued but for all the plaudits they earned at the weekend after it must be said an unlikely point there is no escaping the fact that they have not won any of their last 11 matches in this division.

After going ahead so early at Wembley it was apparent that the West Brom shop was well and truly shut and they almost succeeded in frustrating Tottenham and ultimately coming away from the capital with all three points, however they could withhold Harry Kane all afternoon as his late goal gave Tottenham at least a deserved point.

At the end of the day there is no denying that it was a better point for West Brom than it was Tottenham but now they will look to earn all three against a Newcastle side who come into this game having lost their last four league outings.

Those four league defeats for Rafa Benitez’s men has seen them ship nine goals, if you want to look even closer the last two outings have seen them ship seven. Four away to Manchester United is perhaps understandable but three at home to Watford will no doubt bring cause for concern.

Last weekend it was one of the performances where you look at the scoreline and wonder whether if the winning team were that good or the losing team were that bad and to be honest you would have to say that it was Newcastle that were poor especially in defence.

Had Watford been even more ruthless they could and most probably should have scored at least five that afternoon as the Magpies were lost at sea in the defensive third of the pitch. Not only that though they were toothless in the final third also.

Newcastle have scored 11 goals in their first 13 matches of the season, not the worst tally in the division but certainly room for improvement. When you look at the breakdown of the goals though, this is where it is more startling only Joselu and Jamaal Lascelles have scored more than once this season.

Quite simply Newcastle need someone who can find the net with more regularity but that said you get the feeling that this is a problem that is not going to solve itself until January at the earliest and even then when you add the backdrop of a club for sale these are particularly murky times for all connected with Newcastle.

As for tonight though you have to wonder if either side has the quality or more importantly the goals to kill off the other. Both teams are in desperate need for a win, although West Brom’s plight is worse off in my opinion, I have a feeling they will cancel each other out and this will end in a draw.

Here is what social media thinks will happen – you can still vote on the outcome

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