Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United are not having a good campaign.
Newcastle United finished in the top four of the Premier League table last season. Eddie Howe’s side played in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League this campaign.
The St. James’ Park faithful would have expected Newcastle to build on last season and end up in the top four again.
Things have not panned out that way. Newcastle are as many as 16 points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa and may not even finish in the top half of the table.
The Magpies were knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester City this past weekend.
Newcastle could still clinch a UEFA Europa League or a UEFA Conference League place, but the chances are slim. I do not see West Ham United, Brighton and Hove Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers all collapsing in the final weeks of the campaign.
So, amid all this, it is really interesting that Newcastle have announced a friendly match against Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
The two teams will face each other at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne on May 22, just three days after the Premier League campaign ends.
Jeff Stelling makes prediction about Newcastle United duo Kieran Trippier and Anthony Gordon
TalkSPORT presenter Jeff Stelling has not been impressed at all, and the former Sky Sports Soccer Saturday presenter thinks that Kieran Trippier and Anthony Gordon will not travel with the Newcastle squad to Australia.
Right-back Trippier, 33, and 23-year-old winger Gordon are very likely to be part of the England squad for Euro 2024 finals.
Stelling said on talkSPORT (6:56 am, March 19, 2024): “I guarantee you Kieran Trippier and Anthony Gordon will not go. Guarantee you. They can’t.
“Cas will give you a better perspective. You have just finished the season. What are the players going to think about being dragged to go to the other side of the world?”
My View: Bad decision from Newcastle and Tottenham
In my view, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur should not have decided to play in Australia just days after the Premier League season ends.
I am all for Premier League clubs playing friendly matches all over the world. There is nothing wrong at all with clubs going to North America, Asia or Australia to friendly games, but they should do that in pre-season, not after.
I understand that Melbourne’s ‘Global Football Week – Melbourne’ event is important, but it is going to affect players, especially those who will be going to the European Championship finals for their respective countries. They could get injured, and there is also the fatigue factor.
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