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Opinion

Gary Lineker has another go at Mike Ashley

9 years ago
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Gary Lineker has had another go at Mike Ashley’s running of Newcastle United.

In January the Match of The Day host used his Twitter account to put out the following;

“Brilliant tactics from Newcastle board to delay appointing their new manager so they don’t have to buy any players in the transfer window.”

Amusingly, Ashley’s Managing Director actually namechecked Lineker when justifying why the club hadn’t appointed a new Head Coach after over three weeks had passed by, with United losing three matches and drawing one without a decision being made.

Lineker later revealed that hwta he’d said was simply tongue in cheek but that it appeared to have struck a raw nerve.

After the Crystal Palace line-up was announced before the Liverpool FA Cup-tie yesterday, Lineker Tweeted the following quote;

“The fact Alan Pardew picked a strong side suggests to me that his selection at Newcastle in the FA Cup may have been influenced.”

Gary Lineker referencing the fact that Pardew regularly made major changes (7 when NUFC played Cardiff last season) for the FA Cup when at Newcastle, usually leaving out most if not all of United’s best players.

Pardew did make five changes yesterday from the team that started against Newcastle in midweek, although this almost undoubtedly meant that Palace had a stronger side for the FA Cup, not weaker.

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Sanogo was injured in the Newcastle match and Campbell kept his place after scoring the equaliser against United. Whist top scorer Dwight Gayle was back in the line-up, as well as star man Bolasie who only featured as a sub against Newcastle after just returning from the African Cup of Nations.

First team regular Scott Dann also returned after injury, while new signing Pape Souare was at last received his work permit allowing him to make his debut against Liverpool.

All of Alan Pardew’s efforts were in vain of course as Liverpool won 2-1.

It was clear though that every effort was made on and off the pitch to try and get Crystal Palace through to the next round, whilst after Pardew left Newcastle, John Carver made seven changes to his team against Leicester  including pretty much all of the best players…

I look forward to hearing what Lee Charnley (Mike Ashley) has to say in reply to Gary Lineker this time.

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