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Charlie Nicholas says where he thinks Newcastle United are heading

4 years ago
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Charlie Nicholas has been looking ahead to Turf Moor.

Burnley with six defeats in their last eight Premier League matches.

Whilst Newcastle United have picked up four win and a draw in their last six games.

Despite this run of form for Newcastle, Charlie Nicholas insists ‘they are still going to be in a relegation scrap in my opinion’ this season.

Nicholas  is always keen to pitch this NUFC team as plucky underdogs where positive results are massive achievements, often keen to build it up as brilliance by Steve Bruce against supposedly overwhelming odds.

It appears to be a deliberate attempt to wind Newcastle fans up and now Charlie Nicholas claims: ‘I suggested that Steve Bruce was ahead of Rafael Benitez with the job he has been doing, which people argued by saying Rafa did a great job. I never said he didn’t…”

It is not exactly truthful as Charlie Nicholas actually said: ‘Steve Bruce is doing a much better job than what Rafael Benitez did.’

It is Nicholas who insists on bringing Rafa into it and using references to the Spaniard to try and wind Newcastle fans up.

Newcastle fans are happy to praise Steve Bruce when Newcastle have done well this season but most NUFC fans see it as pointless the comparisons with Rafa Benitez. Especially when it is always just about what happened in the first 16 games last season, instead of the final 16 games when Newcastle had the fifth best form in the Premier League.

Charlie Nicholas talking to Sky Sports:

“It is a very tough fixture.

“I suggested that Steve Bruce was ahead of Rafael Benitez with the job he has been doing, which people argued by saying Rafa did a great job.

“I never said he didn’t, but Bruce has been getting these guys going.

“Allan Saint-Maximin’s injury will be a big blow and they are still going to be in a relegation scrap in my opinion.

“Bruce knows how to set these teams up, he knows how to tighten defensively, but he had to keep Miguel Almiron in the team – he gives something to the team.

“Burnley are so inconsistent and are liable to make mistakes at the back.

“They rely too much on Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood.

“They are a very good pair but there will be one day where one is cold and the other has the stress and strain.

“They did well for a while but you need goals from wide areas or midfield to complement this too.

“I can’t separate them and Newcastle will get something again.

“Prediction is Burnley 1 Newcastle 1.”

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