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Michael Owen predicts Newcastle v Watford on Saturday

5 years ago
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Michael Owen has been looking forward to Saturday’s match at St James Park.

Despite the win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, this game sees second bottom playing rock bottom.

Further evidence that the victory over Spurs will not mean an awful lot, if Newcastle don’t follow up with a positive result against Watford.

Michael Owen predicts a win for Newcastle, basing it on the win and improved NUFC defending on Sunday, as well as the shocking form of the visitors.

As Owen points out, Watford have now lost their last six Premier League games.

Watford had great early season form in the league but as last season progressed and they moved through each round of the FA Cup, including a win at Newcastle, they prioritised the cup as PL safety was already reached.

After 3 March 2019, these past six months have only seen two PL wins and they were against relegated Fulham and Huddersfield. It has ended up a double problem, Watford losing 6-0 to Man City in the FA Cup final and the team failing to switch back on in the Premier League.

Starting this season with defeats to West Ham, Brighton and Everton, Watford had lost seven games in a row (all competitions) and conceded 22 goals. That run ended with a midweek 3-0 League Cup win over Coventry, it remaining to be seen if that victory over lower league opposition has given them back any momentum and confidence.

For Newcastle it was yet another immediate cup exit, plus new injuries for Ritchie, Willems and Krafth.

Michael Owen says that Steve Bruce deserves massive credit for the win at Tottenham, saying ‘Had Rafa Benitez engineered such an outstanding smash and grab at Tottenham on Sunday the press would have been lauding the Spanish boss as a tactical genius.’

The fact that a lot of people have said last Sunday’s win was a Rafa style victory should be taken as a compliment by the NUFC Head Coach and now he arguably faces an even bigger test.

A game at home against a struggling opposition who Newcastle will now be expected to beat.

Steve Bruce has claimed that it will have been a ‘wonderful’ start to the season if Newcastle beat Watford. Not sure what word he would suggest using if Watford end up as victors, especially as United face Liverpool away next.

Michael Owen talking to BetVictor:

“United only had just over 20% possession on Sunday but they defended brilliantly at Tottenham.

“I expect them to build on that success at home to a Watford side whose confidence must be low after six successive league defeats.

“Joelinton took his goal at Spurs in the manner of a quality striker and the Toon Army will be hoping that their Brazilian striker can break his home duck.

“Had Rafa Benitez engineered such an outstanding smash and grab at Tottenham on Sunday the press would have been lauding the Spanish boss as a tactical genius.

“Steve Bruce deserves great credit for his side’s brilliant defensive display.

“Tip: Newcastle to win 31/20.”

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