Newcastle United’s relegation was effectively sealed with a goalless draw at Villa Park in May.
Newcastle United striker Daryl Murphy has told NUFC TV that the team need to be careful as they approach Saturday’s clash with Aston Villa.
Villa Park has not been a happy hunting ground for the Magpies in recent years, with poor results proving fatal for their survival hopes in both 2009 and last season.
Speaking with NUFC TV, Murphy, who made his debut for the club in Tuesday’s EFL Cup win over Wolves, said: “We can go there with confidence. They’ll be good, we know that, and they’re at home, but I think we just need to play our football. We create a lot of chances in games, so we just need to take them when they come along, but it’ll be tough.”
The 33-year-old arrived on Tyneside on a two-year deal from Ipswich Town after bagging 61 goals in a six-year spell at Portman Road.
While the former Sunderland striker’s arrival wasn’t widely lauded, he turned in a positive showing against Wolves and is in line to make a second appearance this weekend.
Newcastle’s 2-0 defeat to Wolves in the Championship last weekend saw them move to third in the table, while Aston Villa’s weekly concession of late goals sees them seven points behind in 18th.
Roberto Di Matteo’s men have conceded goals in the last five minutes of four different games so far this season.
Last week’s scoreless draw at Murphy’s former club, Ipswich Town, represented a more resilient approach from the Villans as they seek to shore up a leaky and error-strewn defence.
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