Newcastle United breezed past Nottingham Forest last week, but they face a much sterner task this weekend as they make the long trip to Brighton on Saturday afternoon.
The Seagulls got off to a flying start at Old Trafford last week, gatecrashing the Erik ten Hag homecoming party with a 2-1 win on Sunday, and they’ll be hoping to build on that this weekend.
However, while Brighton have tons of momentum behind them going into this match, there may not be a football team on the planet with more momentum than Newcastle.
The feel-good factor from last Autumn’s takeover still hasn’t faded from St James’ Park, and in 2022, they’ve genuinely been one of the best teams in England.
This should be an incredibly entertaining clash between two in-form and entertaining teams, and with that in mind, we’ve had a go at predicting the Magpies’ starting XI for this one.
What’s the best way to keep momentum going after a win? By not changing a single thing.
Indeed, it’s a cardinal sin in football to change a winning formula, and that’s why we’re expecting Newcastle to go unchanged here.
Ryan Fraser may feel aggrieved not to start here, but Miguel Almiron was solid enough last week, while Fabian Schar’s screamer against Forest combined with Dan Burn’s continued brilliance proves enough to keep Sven Botman on the bench after his big-money move from Lille.
Joe Willock keeps his spot after a fine showing against Nottingham Forest, and while Newcastle may be in the market for a new striker, Callum Wilson remains the first-choice number nine after scoring once again on the opening day of the season.
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