Paul Merson has predicted Newcastle United will defeat Huddersfield Town 2-0 when the two sides clash on Saturday.
The Sky Sports pundit claimed that the Magpies’ clash with the Terriers could be a dangerous game for Rafa Benitez’s side but given their opponent’s run of form, he was confident that they would come out victorious.
Merson described Saturday’s clash between the two Premier League outfits as being a must-win for the Magpies as they have to show that they can get three points in the matches that they’re expected to win.
“This is a must-win game for Newcastle,” wrote Merson in his predictions for Sky Sports.
“They have turned a bit of a corner recently but they have been playing games where they haven’t been expected to win and they have got results. Now they have to turn up and win the game, which is a lot harder sometimes. When you are not expected to win, you can try and grind out a draw, but this could be a dangerous game for Newcastle.
“But with the run that Huddersfield have been on, I think Newcastle will win.”
OPINION
It’s no surprise that Merson has backed the Magpies to get another win on the board, but what is surprising is that he thinks it could be a difficult game for them. Benitez’s side have shown signs of promise in recent weeks whereas the Terriers have looked like a lost cause. You feel that Huddersfield Town are all but mathematically doomed to relegation at this point, and you wouldn’t back them to turn their form around. Even if they beat the Magpies, the odds are still stacked against them because as it stands they’re 14 points off safety. While it’s easy to understand where Merson is coming from about this being a must-win for the Magpies, as everyone else seems able to pick up maximum points against the Terriers, he does seem overly wary. The Magpies would have picked up a deserved victory against high-flying Wolves ahead of the recent break in fixtures if Martin Dubravka hadn’t made an error just before the final whistle, and their performance in that game should be enough for a pundit to confidently back them to beat Huddersfield.