Former Newcastle striker Michael Owen has predicted that the Magpies will only manage a draw in their Premier League clash against Watford this weekend.
Rafa Benitez’s side welcome the Hornets to St. James’ Park still looking for their first win of the season after a 0-0 draw against fellow relegation candidates Southampton last time out.
Watford are having a very good season under Javi Gracia with 19 points from 10 games to sit in ninth, and Owen thinks the two teams will play out a draw on Saturday.
In his predictions for Bet Victor, Owen said: “Under normal circumstances, a good point for Newcastle at Southampton at the weekend, but another blank in front of goal and United have failed to win any of their opening 10 matches of a league season for just the second time in their history – last doing so 120 years ago, back in the 1898-99 top-flight campaign.
“The Magpies have lost their first five PL home games, but I feel they can at least take a point against a Hornets side who have bounced back in recent games after their own poor run. Nineteen points from their first 10 games is Watford’s best-ever start to a PL campaign, but I feel they will have to make do with a draw at St James’s Park.”
OPINION
While another draw may seem to be a disappointing result for the Magpies, a point would actually be a decent return against an in-form Watford side who look like they will be pushing for Europe this season. The Hornets have found a new lease of life under Javi Gracia and have secured some mightily impressive results, including a win over top-four candidates Tottenham. Newcastle are yet to secure a point at home so far this season, so doing that against a red-hot Watford team would be a decent result in the circumstances. As usual, Rafa Benitez will likely set his team up quite defensively, and that will lead to concerns over goals once again. The Magpies have been atrocious in attack so far this season, and that is Benitez’s biggest worry right now. Salomon Rondon returned to play against Southampton and the Venezuelan will be key to their hopes if they want to get anything out of this one.