Newcastle United will host PSV Eindhoven at St. James’ Park on Wednesday, looking to bounce back from their disappointing run of form.
Newcastle United have failed to win their last two matches across all competitions, and they have also failed to score in that time ahead of the UEFA Champions League game vs PSV Eindhoven at St. James’ Park on Wednesday.
The Magpies are 12th in the Champions League standings, and they need to perform at a higher level to reach the next stage of the competition. Meanwhile, PSV Eindhoven are 21st in the table with just two wins from six outings.
However, the Dutch giants are coming into this game on the back of four consecutive victories. The visitors have been scoring freely, and it will be interesting to see if they can trouble the Premier League team here.
Both teams will fancy their chances against each other, and it remains to be seen who comes out on top. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Newcastle United
William Osula (ankle), Dan Burn (chest), Emil Krafth (knee), Jamaal Lascelles (undisclosed), Tino Livramento (thigh), Jacob Murphy (knee), and Fabian Schar (ankle) are all ruled out for the home side.
Newcastle United will shape up in a 4-3-1-2 formation vs PSV Eindhoven, with Aaron Ramsdale in goal. Kieran Trippier and Lewis Hall will start as the full-backs. They will look to help out at both ends of the pitch. Sven Botman and Malick Thiaw will form the central defensive partnership.
As for the midfield unit, Bruno Guimaraes will start in the middle of the park alongside Sandro Tonali and Joelinton. Joelinton and Guimaraes will look to add creativity and drive to the side, while Tonali looks to provide defensive cover.
Anthony Gordon will start as the attacking midfielder, and he will look to create openings in the final third. Finally, Nick Woltemade will spearhead the Newcastle United attack alongside Yoane Wissa on Wednesday.
Probable Lineup (4-3-1-2): Ramsdale; Trippier, Botman, Thiaw, Hall; Bruno Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton; Gordon; Wissa, Woltemade
PSV Eindhoven
Ruben van Bommel, Alassane Plea, Myron Boadu, Nick Olij, Ricardo Pepi and Sergino Dest are all unlikely to feature on Wednesday for the away side. Meanwhile, Ismael Saibari is suspended.
PSV Eindhoven are likely to shape up in their preferred 4-2-3-1 formation vs Liverpool, with Matej Kovar in goal. Kiliann Sildillia and Mauro Junior will start as the full-backs. They will look to protect the team defensively and create opportunities on the counter=attack. Jerdy Schouten and Yarek Gasiorowski will pair up at the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Paul Wanner and Joey Veerman will look to add control and defensive cover to the side. Esmir Bajraktarevic will reprise the attacking midfield role and look to link the midfield to the attack.
Ivan Perisic and Couhaib Driouech will start on the flanks. They will look to take on defenders and create opportunities on the break. Finally, Guus Til will lead the line for PSV Eindhoven vs Newcastle United in the absence of Ricardo Pepi.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Kovar; Sildillia, Schouten, Gasiorowski, Junior; Veerman, Wanner; Driouech, Bajraktarevic, Perisic; Til
Key Stats
- Newcastle United have picked up four wins from the last six matches in all competitions.
- PSV Eindhoven have won four games in a row across all competitions.
- Newcastle United have conceded 11 goals in their last six matches.
- Three of the last four matches between these two teams have ended in a draw.
- 13 goals have been scored in the last four meetings between these two teams.
Player to Watch
Nick Woltemade
The German international striker will be hoping to prove a point here. Woltemade has been criticised in recent weeks, but he has started well in English football. He will look to hit top form during the business end of the season, and Newcastle United will need him to step up here.
They will need his ability to create chances for his teammates and find the back of the net. It will be interesting to see if Woltemade can take advantage of PSV’s defensive vulnerability. The away side have conceded six goals in the last four matches. The Dutch giants are quite poor defensively, and the Newcastle United striker could make a big difference in the final third.
Prediction
Newcastle 2-1 PSV Eindhoven
Both teams will be desperate for a victory here, and this is likely to be a cracking contest. Neither side is particularly good defensively, and this could be an open game with plenty of chances. It is fair to assume that both teams will get on the score sheet here.
However, Newcastle United are the better team on paper, and they will be difficult to beat at home. They have enough attacking depth to get a good result here. A narrow victory for the home team is on the cards. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 hard-fought win for Eddie Howe and his charges.
