Interesting comments from this BBC Sport pundit on Newcastle United.
Chris Sutton speaking as United prepare to play their sixth match of the 2026/27 season.
Newcastle United away to Leeds United in the Premier League.
An 8pm kick-off on Monday night as the combination of no European football and a more attractive proposition that most other Premier League clubs for broadcasting bosses, means this is simply the first of many times this season that Newcastle United fans will be handed the dreaded Monday night live TV football slot.
Matthias Jaissle hopes to build on an unbeaten five-match start that has seen three wins and two draws.
The BBC Sport pundit declaring ahead of Monday night: “Newcastle United are the new counter-attack kings and I am expecting more of the same from them here.”
Chris Sutton adding: “It will be interesting to see how Leeds boss Daniel Farke tries to deal with that. He has been quite versatile with the way he has set his side up this season. Leeds have shown a bit more steel in their league games too, and look well organised, but at the same time I don’t know if they carry as much of an attacking threat as they did previously.”
Newcastle United have scored two goals in each of their three Premier League games so far, whilst Leeds United have scored one in each of their trio of EPL matches.
Whilst at the other end of the pitch, Leeds United only conceding two goals in the Premier League so far compared to the four Newcastle United have leaked.
Difficult at this early stage to come to any strong conclusions based on so few results, but I think for sure the likes of Leeds United are probably one of those clubs where if Newcastle United are going to be seen to enjoy relative success in the Premier League this time, then NUFC will need to finish above the Elland Road side.
Despite the 58 match season Newcastle United faced last season, they still ended up two places and two points above Leeds United (14th) in the mid-table battle which saw only ten points separate 7th down to 16th.
Leeds and Newcastle have both picked up five points so far and that leaves NUFC in sixth currently, once again two places above Daniel Farke’s side.
I have little doubt that both of these clubs and their fans would settle for those positions at the end of the season.
The BBC Sport pundit has predicted a 1-1 stalemate on Monday night and has explained: “I probably still fancy Leeds more to win this because they are at home, but Newcastle showed plenty of fight against Bournemouth last week and this will probably end up in a draw too.”
A draw would keep this early season ticking along nicely for both teams but a win for either would feel pretty huge even this early on, having eight points from the first four games would be a great platform to work from. Especially for Newcastle with Hull at home next ahead of the three-week international break, then another promoted club Coventry to follow (on the Monday night!) that sizeable international gap.