Eddie Howe takes his high-flying Magpies to Elland Road this weekend as they take on relegation candidate Leeds United in a massive game for both sides.
After suffering a 2-0 loss at St James Park against Arsenal last weekend, Newcastle sit just three points clear of fifth-placed Liverpool, though they have a game in hand on the Reds.
Another setback, however, could see them drop out of the top four by the end of the weekend, and leave their Champions League dream in doubt.
Meanwhile, Leeds United are fighting for their Premier League existence, with the Yorkshire side currently 19th and two points adrift of safety. They will likely need to win two of their remaining three games to survive, and will head into their penultimate home game of the season hoping to spring a surprise.
Here’s how we expect the Magpies to line up in a bid to confirm their Champions League place for next season, plus the latest team news from St James’ Park.
📰 Table Of Contents
Predicted XI
Team News
Eddie Howe will have decisions to make this weekend as he looks to help his side bounce back from a disappointing defeat at home to Arsenal.
Jamal Lascalles will be sidelined until the end of the season with a calf problem, he revealed.
‘I’ve picked up a calf problem which will probably see me out for five or six weeks’, he posted on social media. ‘But I’ll still be at every game, supporting the boys. It’s a real shame, but I’m confident I’ll have a speedy recovery’.
Another absentee is Sean Longstaff, who has impressed this season but will likely miss the remainder with an ankle injury.
‘We thought it was quite a standard injury – a bruise, now there may be a chance it’s something a bit more serious than that, but we are in the dark at the moment’, Eddie Howe told the media last week.
