Matchday thread - Toon v Hatters

[UlversToon]

Let's hope we can build on Wednesday and bag another 3 points.

Saturday sees Newcastle host the Hatters for the very first time in the Premier League.

It's an old-fashioned, non-televised 3pm start and sold out, with the visitors taking and selling their maximum allocation of 3,188 places.

Following losses to Nottingham Forest and Manchester City, the black and whites are bidding to avoid a trio of successive PL home defeats for the first time since January/February 2021.

Town have failed to win any of their last 14 games at Gallowgate since a 2-0 FA Cup success in 1973. In the league only, Luton have left SJP with maximum points just once in 23 visits - in September 1937.

Team: Deputising for illness victim Eddie at the Friday morning press call, Jason Tindall gave little away but confirmed that Alexander Isak hasn't been ruled out of Saturday's game. Callum Wilson and Harvey Barnes also have a chance of being involved, with Joe Willock not too far away.  

Nick Pope, Joelinton, Matt Targett, Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali all remain unavailable. 

Tonali rates this match as follows:

NUFC win 4/9
The draw 18/5
LTFC win 13/2
NUFC win to nil 31/20
Draw HT, NUFC win FT 3/1

LTFC: There could be a debut for Japanese international defender Daiki Hashioka, after he completed a transfer from Belgian side Sint-Truiden on Tuesday.

Luton come into the game unbeaten in their last six league and cup games, two draws followed by three successive victories - the latest of which was a 4-0 slaying of Brighton at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday.

Elijah Adebayo hit a first half treble in that game.

UK TV: None

UK Radio: Live on BBC Radio 5 Sport

Local Radio: Live on BBC Radio Newcastle

Hospital Radio: Radio Tyneside commentary is accessible free of charge in local hospitals via Hospedia.

Referee: Tom Bramall - second NUFC game of the season for the Manchester-based whistler after the 2-0 PL home win over Burnley.

VAR: Michael Salisbury

Stats:

Hatters in Toon - last 10:

2017/18 won 3-1 (FAC) Perez 2, Shelvey
1993/94 drew 1-1 (FAC) Beardsley pen
1992/93 won 2-0 (Ch) Clark, Kelly
1988/89 drew 0-0 (D1)
1987/88 won 4-0 (D1) O'Neill 3, Goddard
1986/87 drew 2-2 (D1) P.Jackson, Goddard
1985/86 drew 2-2 (D1) Roeder, Beardsley
1984/85 won 1-0 (D1) Wharton
1981/82 won 3-2 (D2) Brown 2, Varadi
1980/81 won 2-1 (FAC) Clarke, Martin

Latest Premier League fixtures:

Sat 03.02.2024:
Everton v Spurs (12.30pm) TNT
Brighton & Hove Albion v Crystal Palace (3pm)
Burnley v Fulham (3pm)
Newcastle v Luton Town (3pm)
Sheffield United v Aston Villa (5.30pm) Sky

Sun 04.02.2024:
Bournemouth v Nottingham Forest (2pm)
Chelsea v Wolves (2pm)
Manchester United v West Ham (2pm) Sky
Arsenal v Liverpool (4.30pm) Sky

Mon 05.02.2024:
Brentford v Manchester City (8pm) Sky

[Chappy]

Got a feeling it won't be pretty today but we'll still get the job done...

[UlversToon]

Newcastle XI: Dubravka, Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn, Longstaff, Guimaraes, Miley, Almiron, J Murphy, Gordon.

Substitutes: Dummett, Wilson, Ritchie, Barnes, Krafth, Karius, Hall, Livramento, White.

Luton XI: Kaminski, Mengi, Osho, Bell, Ogbene, Sambi Lokonga, Barkley, Doughty, Clark, Adebayo, Morris.

Substitutes: Berry, Woodrow, Kabore, Chong, Burke, Mpanzu, Brown, Krul, Townsend.

[Chappy]

Barnes & Wilson back

[biggeordiedave]

4 - 0

[UlversToon]

3-1 Toon.

[Remember Colo]

Took 3 minutes for Burn to be beat for pace again. I feel guilty that I'm starting to view him like Iron Mike.

[UlversToon]

Longstaff!

[Remember Colo]

As per usual, he's great at getting into those positions, and to his credit that was a good finish.

[UlversToon]

Bugger!

[UlversToon]

Longstaff!!!

[originallad]

I wonder if Longstaff has been reading some of the comments about him on here

[Remember Colo]

I never doubted him! (If he's lurking later ..)

[UlversToon]

Double bugger!!

[UlversToon]

I never doubted him! (If he's lurking later ..)

[Don Sholeone]

Half arsed defending yet again, lazy ****.

[Remember Colo]

Half arsed defending yet again, lazy ****.

Agreed. It's goals like that one that really highlight the lack of a true central defensive midfielder.

[overseasTOON]

Revenge is a dish best served cold but it's a lukewarm 9 degrees in Newcastle so f*** knows how this will pan out.

[biggeordiedave]

Half arsed defending yet again, lazy ****.

It actually pissed me off seeing them just watch Barkley score. I get it was the most likely outcome in that scenario, but would have been nice to see one of the 3 defenders at least make some sort of attempt.

[Don Sholeone]

Or for one of our midfielders to do more than just poke a foot in and see what happens.