3 Things Newcastle Must Be Wary Of When Facing Huddersfield
Newcastle United, fresh from their disappointing opening day defeat to Tottenham, and with at least three players now on the sidelines following the clash, head to Huddersfield Town on Sunday in what is a mouth-watering clash of recently promoted teams.
Huddersfield have done well in the transfer market this summer whereas Rafa Benitez has cut a frustrated figure at the Toon. The Terriers made a dream start to life in the big league with a 3-0 win at Crystal Palace, however, we need to look beyond what we see on paper.
Palace were awful that day and until the ridiculous behaviour of Jonjo Shelvey that left Newcastle with ten men, the Magpies were holding their ground perfectly well with Spurs. This is still a tricky away game though for Rafa’s men and here we look at three things they should keep in mind going into the game.
Don’t Indulge The Crowd
When playing there in the Championship in March, there was a lot of diving around and exaggeration from the home side (before any Terriers want to lynch me I know, it happens everywhere) and the crowd backed that up with a vociferous collective voice.
A penalty was awarded which should never have been and any foul from a Newcastle player was greeted with derision and this definitely influenced a rather weak referee. This and only this, is why Dwight Gayle played to the crowd a little upon scoring the Toon’s third goal that day but Newcastle must to nothing to insight them this time.
When felled, get up. If making a foul, walk away. When scoring, high five your team mate. Nothing extra and they may lose their twelfth man.
Watch Mounie
The signing of Steve Mounie rather went under the radar of the wider football world but he is definitely quality. He’s a real improver and someone who will punish any defence he comes across this season if he is given the chance to do so.
There’s nothing wrong with giving him a little extra attention in and around the penalty area as he is undoubtedly the main danger, even ahead of fellow summer arrival Tom Ince.
Change The Momentum
Newcastle lost 2-0 on the opening day at home, while Huddersfield won 3-0 away. The Toon aren’t happy with their transfer business while Huddersfield are quite rightly delighted with their chairman and manager, given what they have achieved so far.
A party atmosphere will be the order of the day for Huddersfield’s first home match as a Premier League team and on the face of it, all the momentum is with them, and that’s a big thing in football.
Newcastle though, not just this season by the way, but also back in 1993, have been taken down a peg when opening their home campaign in this league and this time, they can be on the other side of the fence. Get possession early, keep it, quiet down the crowd, and if the first goal comes the way of the black and whites, then the momentum in effect would be gone.