BLACKBURN v NEWCASTLE - THE NOVEMBER NIGHTMARE TO CONTINUE FOR BIG SAM?
Both clubs have had a nightmare November and the end of the month cannot come quickly enough. Rovers have picked up two points from a possible twelve available and Newcastle have one point from a possible nine. Mark Hughes team entered the month on a 4-match winning run and were scoring freely. The goals dried up in November as they failed to score in three of their last four Premier League matches. Big Sam is under mounting pressure from the Geordie crowd after successive home defeats against Portsmouth and Liverpool. His popularity has plummeted in recent weeks after initially being hailed as yet another Tyneside messiah like Keegan, Dalglish, Gullit and Robson before him. There is a pattern emerging here.
Blackburn suffered their biggest home defeat in over three years on Wednesday night and will be without the services of captain Ryan Nelsen at the weekend after his dismissal. They have not won in four games and kept one clean-sheet in nine matches. Newcastle will be glad to be playing away after the torrent of abuse from St James’ following their defeat against Liverpool. The Magpies have conceded in the last nine matches and are without a win in four.
Despite the poor form of both sides, the most settled side is undoubtedly Rovers with a team that picks itself with everyone available. The same cannot be said of Newcastle who still look as shaky at the back as ever despite a new look defensive unit. The lack of confidence from Allardyce in his Toon defence is emphasised by the fact he has tried nine different players in the Newcastle back four this season. The head to head record shows that in the last 4 meetings between these clubs the away side has gone onto win the match but expect Rovers to buck that trend.
TOP TIP: Rover’s return to winning ways (home win)
