Blackburn (h)

To be honest, we’d have this as a 3 point banker ordinarily but every manager who brings his team to St. James’ Park at the minute is going to be fully aware that we are there for the taking. Last season’s fixture was a strange affair with Blackburn undeservedly taking all three points from a game dominated by Newcastle, with a 90th minute Matt Derbyshire goal proving to be the sucker punch. It was a prime example of how a football match can go when the chips are down and things aren’t going your way. This season we are in a position incomparably worse than last season so Paul Ince will be turn up and no doubt be looking for all 3 points.

One of the bright moments of last seasons encounter came when Morton Gamst Pederson decided to mess with Wor Habib over a contested throw in. Pederson tried to wrestle the ball away from Beye when in front of the Blackburn dugout, no doubt feeling hard with 30 members of the Blackburn squad by his side. He seemed a little unprepared for the response from Habib who seemed more than willing to take Pederson and the Blackburn squad on single handed. After a melee and some sensible refereeing, both players were booked and the game carried on with Habib undoubtedly having come out on top and with the ball still firmly in his possession.

The incident is summed up in this Habib Beye song which would sound nice tomorrow if anyone wishes to sing it.

So with El Tel coming out and saying he can’t manage us as we need more than an interim manager, it looks as if we have 3 options. Give it to the desperate and horrible O’Leary or anyone else looking for a quick buck, Ashley to sell up ASAP so someone can begin to sort out this shambles or the unlikely event of Wise and the board leaving to pave the way for the return of Keegan (this may not even be an option anymore)

Habib Beye is still out with his Achilles problem and there is no word on Enrique’s fitness. Spiderman has returned to the northeast but is still weeks away while Martins looks to have come back too soon and now faces a reported further 6 weeks out. There’s still no sign of Viduka and suspensions are still in place for Barton and Guthrie.
The lads on the pitch are going to have to show a lot of heart on Saturday to get a result. Let’s hope they do!

Beyewatch prediction; 2-0