' TODAYS TEAM: NEWCASTLE v CARDIFF CITY ' MATCH THREAD

NEWCASTLE v CARDIFF CITY
Championship
Saturday, 5 November, 15:00
St James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne


Cardiff team

Amos, Bennett, Peliter, Bamba, Morrison, Richardson, Ralls, Noone, Hoilett, Lambert.


Cardiff subs

Wilson, Manga. O’Keefe, Whittingham, Harris, Gounongbe, Chamakh.


Cardiff City have been given up to 3,000 tickets with no restrictions

Approx 840 Cardiff fans are travelling incl 50 comps.



" UPDATED DAILY "

04/11/16
' Newcastle injury update '

Dwight Gayle and DeAndre Yedlin are both fit to play for the Magpies, while Rolando Aarons, Rob Elliot and Daryl Murphy are all ruled out.

Other than that, it’s a clean bill of health for Rafa’s troops.

Of course, Cardiff have one or two of their own issues such as the injury to Rickie Lambert, but otherwise it’s full steam ahead to tomorrow at 3pm...

' Neil Warnock on Cardiff City's injuries this week '

Neil Warnock: "Up and down, there’s been some good bits and one or two injury problems, hopefully it will level out. We’ve got two or three decisions either way, lads trying to get into the team. There’s been a bit of illness in the camp too so it’s not been great preparation."



04/11/16

Rickie Lambert fitness update


Neil Warnock: "It was a ‘horrific’ injury that Rickie Lambert picked up against Nottingham Forest a fortnight ago."

The talisman missed the Wigan Athletic defeat. And here is the latest from Warnock, who won’t gamble on his frontman’s fitness.

"He is running, but we’ve got problems elsewhere with the striking situation. Perhaps he can make the bench, I don’t know. He’ll definitely be ok for Huddersfield, it’s whether this is too soon. We won’t take a risk. He did some training on his own, non contact."



' NO TICKETS ON SALE ON THE DAY '


03/11/16

Cardiff City travel away to Newcastle United this Saturday 5th November 2016 3pm, City were given up to 2,500 tickets and could of been given more.
So far Cardiff have sold just over 500 tickets.Tickets are still on sale. We will know tomorrow if City fans can pay on the day.


Ref for Saturday confirmed: TONY HARRINGTON

Philip Dermott and Christopher Akers

Fourth Official: Darren England

Newcastle United winger Matt Ritchie will serve a one-match suspension on Saturday, meaning Rafa Benitez faces yet another selection dilemma.

31/10/16

Matt Richie Newcastle star misses Cardiff match through suspension after 5th yellow

Latest News


Possible Lineups

Cardiff City

21 Amos
2 Peltier
4 Morrison
14 Bamba
3 Bennett
11 Noone
7 Whittingham
17 Gunnarsson
8 Ralls
33 Hoilett
13 Pilkington


Newcastle

26 Darlow
22 Yedlin
6 Lascelles
2 Clark
3 Dummett
11 Ritchie
14 Hayden
12 Shelvey
20 Gouffran
15 Diamé
45 Mitrovic


The Opposition



Newcastle

Full name: Newcastle United Football Club
Nickname(s): The Magpies, Geordies, Toon
Founded: 9 December 1892; 123 years ago
Ground: St James' Park
Capacity: 52,354[1]
Owner: Mike Ashley
Managing Director: Lee Charnley
Manager: Rafael Benítez
League: Championship

Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne. Following the club's most recent relegation from the top-flight during the 2015–16 season, Newcastle returned to the Football League's 2nd tier, the Championship, for the 2016–17 campaign. Newcastle United was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, ever since. The ground was developed into an all-seater stadium in the mid-1990s and now has a capacity of 52,354.The club has been a member of the Premier League for all but two years of the competition's history, and has never dropped below English football's second tier since joining the Football League in 1893. The club has been owned by Mike Ashley since 2007, succeeding long term chairman and owner Sir John Hall.

They have won four League Championship titles, six FA Cups and a Charity Shield, as well as the 1969 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and the 2006 UEFA Intertoto Cup. Newcastle United has the ninth highest total of trophies won by an English club. The club's most successful period was between 1904 and 1910, when they won an FA Cup and three of their First Division titles. The club is the seventeenth richest club in the world in terms of annual revenue, generating €169.3m in 2015. Historically, Newcastle's highest placing was in 1999 when they were the fifth richest in the world, and second in England only behind Manchester United. The club were highly successful in the Premier League in the 1990s and early 2000s, but have been mostly struggling since the 2006–07 season, and were relegated in 2009 and 2016.

They have a fierce local rivalry with Sunderland, and the two clubs have engaged in the Tyne–Wear derby since 1898. Furthermore, are also rivals with Middlesbrough and engage in the Tyne-Tees derby. The club's traditional kit colours are black and white striped shirts, black shorts and black socks. Their traditional crest takes elements of the city coat of arms, which features two grey seahorses.


2016/17 Results

Cardiff

SAT 29 OCT 2016 - CHAMPIONSHIP Cardiff 0 - 1 Wigan
SAT 22 OCT 2016 - CHAMPIONSHIP N Forest 1 - 2 Cardiff
WED 19 OCT 2016 - CHAMPIONSHIP Cardiff 1 - 1 Sheff Wednesday
FRI 14 OCT 2016 - CHAMPIONSHIP Cardiff 2 - 1 Bristol


Newcastle

SAT 29 OCT 2016 - CHAMPIONSHIP Preston 1 - 2 Newcastle
TUE 25 OCT 2016 - EFL CUP Newcastle 6 - 0 Preston
SAT 22 OCT 2016 - CHAMPIONSHIP Newcastle 3 - 0 Ipswich
TUE 18 OCT 2016 - CHAMPIONSHIP Barnsley 0 - 2 Newcastle


Recent meetings

2013/2014 Sat 03 May Newcastle Utd. 3 - 0 Cardiff City Premier League
2013/2014 Sat 04 Jan Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 Cardiff City F.A. Cup
2013/2014 Sat 05 Oct Cardiff City 1 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Premier League
2009/2010 Fri 05 Feb Newcastle Utd. 5 - 1 Cardiff City Championship
2009/2010 Sun 13 Sep Cardiff City 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Championship


Previous Highlights




Match Odds

Cardiff 7/1
Draw 18/5
Newcastle 1/2


St James' Park



Key facts

Club: Newcastle United FC
Opening: 1880
Capacity: 52,339 seats

History and description

St James’ Park was first used for football in 1880, but was initially nothing more than a bare pitch.

By the late 1890s, one small stand had been built, but it was the promotion of Newcastle to the First Division in 1898 that prompted the club to properly develop the ground. New terraces were built, which brought capacity to 30,000.

It then only took five more years before another round of major reconstruction works was started. A new stand at the Barrack Road side and expanded terraces increased capacity to over 60,000.

In the 1920s, Newcastle planned for an extensive redevelopment of St James’ Park with new stands designed by architect Archibald Leitch, but conflicts between the landlord (the city of Newcastle) and planners led to abandonment of the plans.

In 1930, St James’ Park recorded its highest attendance when 68,386 people visited a match between Newcastle and Chelsea.

Further conflicts between the club and city led to more cancelled plans in the 1950s and 1960s, which also made Newcastle miss out on hosting matches during the 1966 World Cup. These were hosted by Middlesbrough’s Ayresome Park instead.

In the early 1970s, the club finally reached agreement with the Newcastle city council, and in 1972 a new Leazes Terrace Stand opened. Works were to continue with the Leazes End, but relegation and a precarious financial situation ended hopes of further improvements.

Safety requirements resulting from the Bradford fire made a replacement of the old West Stand necessary, and in 1987 a new stand, named Milburn Stand, opened.

Further improvements were needed, but funding only came available after the takeover of the club by Sir John Hall in 1992. In only a few years three new stands got built, resulting in a bowl-shaped stadium with a capacity of 37,000 seats.

In 1996, St James’ Park was a playing venue of the Euro 1996 Championships, during which it hosted three group matches.

The increasing popularity of the club made further expansion necessary, and after plans to move to a new stadium had fallen through, instead was chosen to build a second tier on top of the Milburn and Leazes Stands. Works were completed in August 2000. The stadium now has the largest cantilever roof in Europe.

In 2011, St James’ Park was temporarily renamed Sports Direct Arena (after the company of club owner Mike Ashley), but the stadium referred back to its original name after new club sponsor Wonga bought the naming right.


Tickets

Tickets available to current Season Ticket Holders and Gold / Junior Bluebird Members.

General Ticket Prices
Adults: £27.00
Senior 65+: £22.00
Students (FT): £22.00
Under 18: £14.00

Disabled Allocations
Disabled + Carer: £14.00

Tickets can be purchased in person at the CCS Ticket Office situated in the Grandstand, next to Corporate Entrance 2.

Alternatively, you can call the Stadium Ticket Office on 0845 345 1400. The Ticket Office is open from 9am to 5:30pm on Monday to Friday, and 9am to 3pm on non match-day Saturdays.

The easiest way is to book online - http://www.eticketing.co.uk/cardiffcity


Guess the Score / Attendance
Post your predicted score/attendance below

Think it will be a long day for us, 4-0 to Newcastle. I hope that I'm wrong

5-1

Newcastle 2 City 2

Newcastle 2 City 2

Optimistic Annis

Newcastle 2 City 2

Optimistic Annis

Cheers, you never know

Newcastle 0 Cardiff City 1 Hoilett 86 min

We will raise our game and throw the kitchen sink at them and there will be goals, I think it will be a hard earned point. Im going with 2.2 also.

How many tickets been sold for this one?

I can see this being a 2-1 or 3-1 win for Newcastle, they look unstoppable going forward, I hope I am wrong tho but there would be no injustice in losing if we play well.

I just can't forsee Newcastle losing many games this season.

We've lost over half the games we have played this season, and losing at home to a Wigan side without a manager does'nt give me much hope for an away game against the best team in this division. Can't see anything other than a Newcastle win, I just hope we don't get an absolute hiding. Going for a 3-0 home win.

Newcastle star misses Cardiff match through suspension after 5th yellow

31/10/16

Newcastle United's 38 yellow cards (and 1 red), one star banned from Saturday's match against Cardiff.


A committed performance by Newcastle United saw the Magpies pick up all three points thanks to two goals from Aleksandar Mitrovic, whilst at the same United picked up four bookings for Isaac Hayden, Matt Ritchie, Karl Darlow and Mitrovic himself.

United having to spend large parts of the game defending desperately, some great challenges combined with a little time wasting by Karl Darlow which earnt him his booking.

Matt Ritchie laid on the opening goal with an excellent ball over the top for Mitrovic but also picked up what was his fifth booking of the season.

This means that the winger will now miss Saturday’s home game against Cardiff, with Christian Atsu set to deputise.

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Ritchie up there with best winger in the league, he should be playing prem footie.

Why does Neil Warnock dislike Newcastle United FC boss Rafa Benitez so much? The full story on a bitter feud


By Dominic Booth

Monday 31/10/16


When Sheffield United were relegated from the Premier League in 2007, a fuming Neil Warnock levelled his rage in three directions.

On the one hand, there was the Carlos Tevez affair; a messy legal battle over the issue of third-party ownership with Warnock firmly believing the then-West Ham striker should never have been playing for the Hammers.

Warnock was also unhappy with Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager who rested on his laurels as his weakened champions took on relegation-threatened West Ham and lost, to a Tevez goal on the final day of the season.

And then there was Rafa Benitez, who like Ferguson chose a weaker side to play Fulham on the same day. Fulham were battling with West Ham and Warnock's Sheffield United to stay in the league and they beat Benitez's Liverpool to condemn the Blades to the drop.

It was a complex series of events with the legal wrangle over Tevez leaving everybody in the dark. But one thing Warnock was sure about was how he felt let down by Ferguson and Benitez in particular.

"I was disappointed at United's team," said Warnock in 2007. "You would have hoped and thought that, last game of the season, Cristiano Ronaldo, Nemanja Vidic and probably two or three more might have played.

"I think Sir Alex sold me a dummy in midweek when he said he would field a strong team. He had his own reasons, though. Maybe the FA Cup final next week is more important to him.

"At least I knew the players that were playing. I didn't even know two of those that played for Liverpool at Fulham last week.

"I'd never heard of them but when you are a foreign manager like Rafa Benitez, you probably don't give two hoots about what Sheffield United think."

While time was a healer between Warnock and Ferguson due to the Scot's legendary status within the game, no such admiration survived for the Spaniard.

"There will never be a manager as good as him (Ferguson) ever again, make no mistake," said Warnock in 2012.



Yet no bridges were built whenever he was asked about the dispute with Benitez. The feud ran deep.

So much so that when the pair were reacquainted for a League Cup quarter-final in December 2012, with the veteran Yorkshireman in charge of Leeds United and Benitez at the Chelsea helm, Warnock wasn't prepared to extend an olive branch.

He revealed his comments after Sheffield United's relegation in 2007 had provoked an email from Benitez's solicitors threatening legal action if Warnock kept accusing the Spaniard of poor sportsmanship.

There was a reluctant handshake between the pair on that night four years ago, as Benitez's Chelsea thrashed the Whites 5-1, despite Warnock suggesting he might refuse the gesture.

Warnock won't be heading to the North East with trepidation, that's for sure. Revenge for the 5-1 and 'getting one up' on his old foe will be to the forefront of proceedings despite the fullness of time providing some solace for the 67-year-old.


Neil Warnock
"The last time I heard from Rafa he was threatening to sue me in an email if I mentioned it again," he said.

"Enough water’s passed under the bridge. It’s one of those things that disappoints you in life and you have to get on with it.

"You get disappointments in every walk of life and I’ve made my feelings clear over the last few years and nothing will change that."

As the duo prepare to meet again on Saturday, as Cardiff City travel to league leaders Newcastle , how the rivalry plays out in the dugouts will undoubtedly take centre stage.


If we've learned anything from Warnock's short time in South Wales so far, it is that he is a full-blooded, passionate manager who wants to win at all costs.

On the pitch it might prove a tricky proposition, with Benitez justifying his decision to remain at St James' Park despite overseeing the Magpies' relegation last season. Newcastle have started the season in superb fashion and are in a rich vein of form with six consecutive league victories.

It's clear that Warnock's teams perform better when the stakes are high. He is a master motivator, a trait which is now reflecting in his team, typified by that 'blood and thunder' debut performance against Bristol City.

Whether the underdogs tag will suit the Bluebirds again remains to be seen, but events on the touchline will certainly provide a major focus as one of Warnock's many footballing feuds is reopened on Tyneside.

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Four one cardiff we will surprise them

CARDIFF CITY GET 3,000 FANS ALLOCATION WITH NO RESTRICTIONS

Away fans who make the trip to Newcastle are housed within the Sir John Hall Stand which is the northern-goal end in front of the Leazes Park.

The allocation of 3,000 tickets really allows the travelling fans to make some noise, however as you are right at the back of the stand you can’t help but feel very far away from the players on the pitch.

In order to reach the vertiginous seats away fans are required to climb 14 flights of stairs, so by the time you reach the modest concourse you’ve more than earned some refreshments. The kiosks sell a few different types of beer and a selection of well-priced hot-food options such as Pies and Sausage Rolls although they all come wrapped in Newcastle United packaging!

If we hold them out for 70 mins then probably lose 2-0. If they score earlyish then 4-0.

The inside track on rampant Newcastle United FC and why there ARE weaknesses Cardiff City can exploit


By Phil Smith

Monday 31st October 2016


It was a desperately disappointing weekend for Cardiff City , with the hard-earned momentum lost a little during a galling late defeat to Wigan Athletic.

Still, this division moves on quickly, and attention now turns to a mouthwatering clash in the North East.

Newcastle have blown teams away on home turf in recent weeks but with the Bluebirds struggling to open Wigan up, you suspect Neil Warnock and his charges might be quite happy to have the underdog belt back in their corner.

So what can they do to stop the rampant Magpies?

We spoke to Chris Waugh, Newcastle United writer for ChronicleLive , to find out why they've been so good and to discover what weaknesses Cardiff can try and expose...

So, fair to say it's going pretty well for Newcastle at the moment, why are they doing so well on the pitch?

A whole variety of reasons - but primarily because Benitez has installed a shape and discipline to the Newcastle side which had been desperately lacking in recent years.

United used to be fragile defensively, particularly on their travels, but the Magpies have kept seven clean sheets this term and conceded only 12 goals. Primarily that is down to the Jamaal Lascelles-Ciaran Clark axis at centre-back, which has been extremely impressive.

What's more, Benitez's preferred 4-2-3-1 formation is allowing the likes of Jonjo Shelvey and Matt Ritchie to get plenty of time on the ball and create the chances for Dwight Gayle and Aleksandar Mitrovic - depending on who plays - to score.

All across the pitch the Magpies have quality, but importantly every player understands their individual role in the team.


Mitrovic is in top form

The home form is particularly frightening for the rest of the league. How are the away sides going about it and are they doing something wrong?

In truth, Newcastle have actually looked a more accomplished away side than at St James' Park until this recent run.

However, after getting up to speed with the intensity of the Championship, the Magpies have now improved greatly on Tyneside.
Crucially, they are scoring early goals and simply smothering the opposition. Against Brentford and Ipswich Town, the game was as good as over by the 15-minute mark.
What too many away sides have done is allow Shelvey time and space on the ball. Rush the Newcastle midfielder, and the Magpies can lack ideas.


Rafa's rotation is infamous, so do you have any idea how they'll set up on Saturday? Does he have any favourites who you can pretty much guarantee will be in the team?

He is famous for his rotation policy and he has continued it at Newcastle.

But there is a misconception; Benitez doesn't make five or six changes every week, usually just one or two.

And those tend to be interchangeable, 'like for like' players. For example Jack Colback and Isaac Hayden are regularly rotated, as are Ayoze Perez and Mo Diame.

Usually, eight or nine players remain the same as the game before though. So we can expect Ritchie, Shelvey, Yoan Gouffran, Lascelles, Clark and Karl Darlow to start - while, if he is fit, I think Gayle could replace Mitrovic in the side, even though the latter scored twice on Saturday.

Though, with Benitez, you can never quite be sure on selection...

Are there any areas of the pitch where you think Newcastle might be a little bit vulnerable?
From set-pieces defensively, Newcastle are still not overly convincing. That is an area I would target if I was the opposition manager.

As I mentioned earlier, it's also key to cut Shelvey off at source; slow him down, and then Newcastle begin to lack creativity.


Can Cardiff find joy from set-pieces?

Newcastle looked to be having a problem or two from set-pieces right at the start of the season, have they cleaned up their act there?

Cardiff are probably one of the strongest teams around in that department.

The Magpies are improving in that area - in attack, they are extremely dangerous from them - but at the back they still struggle to deal with high balls into the box. Preston North End targeted Newcastle there and they almost got a late equaliser from a string of set-pieces on Saturday.

Given the likelihood that the home side will dominate the ball this weekend, I'd say set-pieces should be something Cardiff should target.

Fair to say there's a bit of previous between Rafa and Warnock .... Can you see Rafa getting sucked into any mind games or has he mellowed a bit since his Liverpool days?

The 'mind games' Benitez played at Liverpool are a little bit of a myth which has become overblown really. Yes there was the supposed 'rant' and what not, but in general Benitez attempts to avoid an unnecessary war of words.

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1-0 City.

We are defending ok at the moment, You never know in the championship,but realistically we are going to get hammered

I'm going for 3-1 Newcastle.

Newcastle 2 City 1

Ole won at Newcastle so why not Warnock? 2_1 City!

Newcastle: Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock approach was in pipeline


BY STEVEN DALE

TUESDAY NOV 1, 2016

CARDIFF CITY, CHAMPIONSHIP, FEATURED, NEWCASTLE UNITED, NEWS, REPORTS, TRANSFERS



As we already know, following his success with Rotherham last season – Neil Warnock was a wanted man last summer as he pondered a return to management.


We have already heard details about Forest talks, Blackburn negotiations and an offer to stay in South Yorkshire – but the marmite-style outspoken boss was nearly the subject of a Newcastle approach.

Its been reported that the Tyneside club were debating an approach for Warnock, should Rafael Benitez have chosen to walk away in the close season.

The former Liverpool manager had to seriously consider whether managing in the Championship was the right career move for him. Having achieved the success he has in Europe’s top league, it isn’t hard to understand why.



The two managers, who have possessed a personal rivalry in the past, will now link horns this coming weekend.

The Newcastle link says a lot about Warnock’s Championship reputation and Cardiff are certainly reaping the rewards.

Since sacking Paul Trollope, following their 2-0 defeat to Burton last month, The Bluebirds have only lost once in their following four games. This came in their most recent fixture, a 1-0 defeat against fellow strugglers, Wigan Athletic.

Cardiff on the back of their recent revival with go to St James’ Park with full belief they can take something from the game. They may, however, have their work cut out when they come up against a side that has won their last six games.

Things could have ended up so different for both Newcastle and Warnock, but now the former Sheffield United and Leeds boss goes there in a few days time, with potentially even more to prove.

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NUFC NEWS

A Change of Formation Ahead of Cardiff?


Tuesday November 1, 2016


Jake Swinburn


Rafa Benitez Looking Back Close Up


Cardiff come to Newcastle this weekend fresh from a defeat against struggling Wigan, so is this the perfect time to start both Dwight Gayle and Aleksandar Mitrovic?

It would certainly be a big statement of intent from Rafa Benitez, to include two strikers in his line-up.

To further support this, new Cardiff recruit Sol Bamba, has always struggled when having to mark an opponent, rather than perform his regular sweeping duties, which was evident this season in his start for Leeds United, which saw the Ivorian leave Elland Road early.

However, it is worth remembering just how well Benitez’s side have started this season, as well as the Spaniards success in the past.

If Benitez feels that the best way for the side to line up, is with 4-2-3-1 formation, then as fans, we need to trust his decision. As exciting as it may seem to play two up front, it could easily backfire, potentially leaving us three points worse off.



With the current formation working well, coupled with Newcastle being the highest scorers in the division, it is also worth remembering that while many sides, Newcastle included, play an attacking 4-2-3-1 formation, it has been some time since anyone played an attacking 4-4-2.

In fact, in recent years, the 4-4-2 formation has been used to play wingers that offer more cover to their fullback’s and a second striker used primarily to work hard, for example Okazaki at Leicester last season, with the focus being on one or two ‘star’ players to win the game, rather than the team dynamic that Benitez seems to be trying to build at Newcastle.

With this in mind, what should the team be for the Cardiff clash?

Karl Darlow will no doubt continue in goal, after impressing since he displaced Matz Sels. While There is an argument for DeAndre Yedlin to continue at right-back, it is likely that Vurnon Anita will be back in the side, to give more balance behind an attack-minded midfield. Paul Dummett seems to be irreplaceable at left back and while the Welshman may not be everyone’s favourite player, he is doing well enough to keep his place in the defence. As are centre backs Jamaal Lascelles and Ciaran Clark.

In midfield, regular Jonjo Shelvey will no doubt start as normal, while, due to home advantage, Isaac Hayden’s composure on the ball could compliment Shelvey well. The real dilemma comes in the shape of who to play on the wings. There seems no reason to drop Yoan Gouffran, he is playing well and gives great balance to the side, while also scoring some important goals. With Christian Atsu most likely to come in for the suspended Matt Ritchie, in a more realistic attack minded change. Atsu is very exciting and may pose a direct threat to the Cardiff back-line, again, due to home advantage.

Then there is the forward line. Mo Diame seems to have recaptured his form, and this makes him the outstanding candidate to continue in the attacking midfield role. However, in recent home games, Benitez has gone with Ayoze Perez as his ‘number ten’, with Diame being preferred away from home.

With this in mind, it is likely that Perez, who himself is in good form, will start the game. With Aleksandar Mitrovic in such good form, many fans want him to continue but as he seems to play better with Mo Diame, it is more likely that top scorer, Dwight Gayle, will be recalled if he is fit.

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CAN CARDIFF CITY PULL OFF A SHOCK RESULT?

Why Newcastle test is not all about the result for Cardiff


By Jamie Kemble

Tuesday 1st Nov 2016

Cardiff City travel North to Newcastle this weekend to face the Championship leaders but can they pull off a shock result?


Strugglers Cardiff City take on league-leaders Newcastle United this weekend and although it looks straight forward on paper, a resurgent Neil Warnock side may give their hosts an unexpected test.

Most of Newcastle’s Championship opponents have probably accepted that the Magpies will win the league this term, given their huge budget and star-studded squad.

However, this means teams will travel to St James’ Park with a belief of having nothing to lose. Very few teams will expect any points from the North East this season and as a result, teams can simply go for it.


Cardiff come into this one feeling very disappointed with the weekend’s defeat when they probably didn’t deserve to come away with nothing.

When they turned to the fixture list, they will have been disappointed to discover they may not have a great opportunity to get back on-track

There’s little doubt it’s the toughest fixture of the season but Cardiff should look at it as a measure of where they need to be, above all else.


Barring a shock drop in form, Newcastle are likely to set the bench-mark for the standard this season and as Cardiff look to improve, this could be a good opportunity to find out just how far off they are.

If Cardiff can go to St James’ Park and compete, then they know they can compete with any team in the division, at any ground.

Neil Warnock is experienced enough to know that a good performance against the Magpies on Saturday can give his side a real belief and confidence, regardless of whether they take any points home.

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Newcastle United winger Matt Ritchie will serve a one-match suspension on Saturday, meaning Rafa Benitez faces yet another selection dilemma.

Running a bus to Newcastle up and down same day,
Picking up at Tonyrefail,Talbot Green, Beddau, Nantgarw and along the M 4after Coryton,
A few seats available if anyone is interested.

Ref for Saturday confirmed.

Newcastle United v Cardiff City

TONY HARRINGTON

Philip Dermott and Christopher Akers

Fourth Official: Darren England

48 cards dished out in 11 games. Just one red, and one Newcastle game: the 1-0 defeat of Bristol City in August.

Hoping that Mitrovic has a pop at Bamba and gets sent off in first half.