please log in to view this image NEWCASTLE UTD v WATFORD please log in to view this image F A CUP FOURTH ROUND 26th January 2019 Kick Off 1500 GMT St. James' Park, Newcastle please log in to view this image Newcastle are battling to avoid relegation in the English Premier League as they sit just two points above the drop zone. The FA Cup could be viewed as a distraction in their quest for safety as they required a replay and extra time before seeing off Championship team Blackburn in the previous round. The Magpies overcame Blackburn 4-2 after extra time to progress to the fourth round of the FA Cup. They followed up that result with a 3-0 victory over Cardiff City in the Premier League last weekend with Fabian Schar and Ayoze Perez getting the goals. Perez has scored in his last two matches for Rafa Benitez's team and should continue in attack on Saturday. Joselu is also likely to start after netting one of the goals in the win over Blackburn while Salomon Rondon could be rested. Watford travel to Newcastle in good form having claimed two wins in their last three matches across all competitions. Among their recent victories is a 2-0 triumph over lower league team Woking in the previous round of the FA Cup. The Hornets were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Burnley in the Premier League last weekend. Javi Gracia's men struggled to find their cutting edge in attack despite seeing plenty of possession and creating a number of opportunities. Newcastle vs Watford Head-to-Head Newcastle and Watford have faced each other 22 times in the past with the Magpies just edging the head to head by eight wins to seven. The Hornets have however come out on top in recent matches, having won five of the last seven meetings. Newcastle vs Watford Key Statistics Newcastle have lost 5 of their last 7 matches against Watford (All Competitions). Newcastle have lost 9 of their last 14 home matches (All Competitions). Watford have won 3 of their last 4 away matches (All Competitions). Watford's Troy Deeney has scored 3 goals in his last 4 matches (All Competitions). The Officials Ref: David Coote, Assistants: Dan Cook and Harry Leonard, 4th Off: Darren Bond. VAR will be in use for the game and Martin Atkinson will be behind the screen. In view of who will be the Ref. I wonder if we will see Troy having a restful afternoon in the dugout. Javi says that there will be changes to the team that played Burnley, but didn't give anything away about who we might see or not. WHEREVER YOU ARE IN THE WORLD - ENJOY THE GAME
05:00 start in the morning to get the 06:00 coach.... gonna be a long day! Always vowed I wouldn't go there but at a £10 match ticket and a £10 coach fare... I have binoculars...
Will be on a plane to Geneva on our way to a weeks skiing so will have to be with you in spirit. Enjoy the game and lets have a bit of a cup run.
Benitez could welcome back defender Federico Fernandez and winger Kenedy after injury, but Paul Dummett, Jonjo Shelvey, Mohamed Diame and Ki Sung-yueng are all out.
Surely we should put our strongest side out. My arguement goes like this. 1. We are safe, even maybe pushing for Europe. 2. We should try to win a trophy. 3. It is also a way into the Europa league without all the knockout bollocks over the summer.
All aboard the 06:00 to Newcastle upon Tyne.... fourth time in the North East: 0-5 and 0-3 at Sunderland; 0-2 at Newcastle. Not a great record at all....
Binoculars, thermals, altitude sickness tablets: check! Just forgot to get in training for the stairs.... DOH!
Had a chat with some Newport County fans at the M1 services near Sheffield. They set out at 6am too... Middlesbrough... as I explained to them it's a bit like Port Talbot...
