Matt Le Tissier has suggested that Newcastle United could be dark horses for relegation from the Premier League this season if they don’t sort out their woeful home form.
The Magpies still have Cardiff City, Burnley, Huddersfield Town, Crystal Palace, and Southampton to play at St. James’ Park this season, but have won just two league matches on their home patch so far this campaign.
Their problems are worsened by an upcoming run of fixtures that sees them play Chelsea, Manchester City, and Tottenham in their next four matches.
Speaking as a pundit on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday, (Saturday January 5th, 12pm), ex-Saints man Le Tissier said: “Their home form is a big worry. They’ve got some tough fixtures coming up over the next few and it’s going to take a huge effort.
“I think they’re one of the dark horses for relegation. With games against Chelsea, City, and Spurs coming up in the next four, they could be in the bottom three themselves playing with a whole different pressure on them.”
OPINION
To suggest that Newcastle are dark horses for relegation probably flatters the Magpies a little. Compared to other teams in the league, such as Huddersfield Town, they seem to have more in the tank drag themselves clear of danger, but at the moment it’s hard to see for definite if there are three teams worse than them. Their upcoming run of matches will be a grave concern for Rafa Benitez, who will know that the Toon Army have to potential to be in a lot of trouble by the end of January. The matches they have coming up against teams around them in the league make for more promising prospects, but even then this Newcastle team is not the kind that can blow sides away, and every single one of them looks as if it could go either way. If the Magpies get stuck in a rut and momentum moves away from them, they could be down, plain and simple.