Harry Redknapp has been talking about Newcastle United.
The former Spurs and West Ham manager, discussing NUFC as we are now in mid-March and into the business end of things.
Newcastle United still active on two fronts.
These remaining days before the upcoming international break, seeing Eddie Howe and his players facing three huge matches.
Ahead of the Manchester United match at St James’ Park, Harry Redknapp said that against Man U, Newcastle United: “Need a big performance and a big win just to give the place a lift. There’s still so much for them to play for this season.”
Since that Harry Redknapp declaration, United have played three times.
Newcastle did indeed put in a “big performance” and got a “big win”, as even with ten men they were easily the better team against Man U. Will Osula with that very deserved late winner.
The FA Cup exit that followed, Newcastle United doing really well the first 35 minutes and then everything just caught up with them, the missing players, the punishing schedule and Man City having a far stronger in depth squad, whilst having had to play for so long with ten men against Man U was probably the fatal factor.
Then of course we had that Champions League match at St James’ Park on Tuesday night, Harry Redknapp declaring: “That was heartbreaking against Barcelona. They were so close to a famous, and deserved, win. Still, they’re alive in that tie so they have to take some of the positives from it.”
Take away that late penalty and I think it was all positive, apart from I think Newcastle United deserved to be a couple of goals up, as their performance was first rate and they were for sure better than Barcelona on the night.
A lot of people wanting to say Barcelona were not their usual selves on the night, BUT for me it was Newcastle United making them look that, summed up by the superb Lewis Hall absolutely dominating Lamine Yamal.
If Newcastle United can repeat those levels on Wednesday, plus especially if the likes of Gordon and Livramento are also available to start, then United will for sure give Barcelona another tough match and the result could be in the balance.
More immediately, it is Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Harry Redknapp stating: “I’m leaning towards Chelsea here…Chelsea were good in Paris the other night and well in the tie for 70 minutes. To go and lose three more goals was a real blow and quite undeserved. Chelsea are so close to being a very good side, they just need to cut out the mistakes at the back.”
Interesting to see the teams that the two managers pick on Saturday.
United only had three days between playing with ten men most of the match against Man U, then facing Man City.
This time Newcastle have a better scenario in this run of games, playing Tuesday (Barcelona home), Saturday (Chelsea away), Wednesday (Barcelona away).
For Chelsea though it is Wednesday (PSG away), Saturday (Newcastle home), Tuesday (PSG home).
Chelsea are currently fifth in the table, nine points ahead of Newcastle United. With nine matches now to go in the Premier League, a win would be huge on Saturday and just maybe give Newcastle a chance of putting a late run together…