Easy to forget that as well as at Newcastle, Michael Owen also stole a living from Stoke City in the twilight of his career.

Paul Merson has predicted the outcomes of the Stoke v Newcastle match and those of their relegation rivals in this midweek programme.

After 4 goals in only 14 second-half minutes for Alan Pardew’s team, the Sunderland fans deserted by their thousands with still half an hour left.

The Newcastle v Crystal Palace match was almost a carbon copy of Sunderland’s game against them but there was one factor in NUFC’s favour.