Newcastle v Blackburn Rovers
Saturday 5th January 1730hrs
Football – England – FA Cup
Pick: Blackburn Double Chance
Bookmaker: Boylesports
Odds: 6/5 (odds taken 22.10 GMT, Friday 4th January)
These two clubs have won the FA Cup 12 times between them, both successful on six occasions. The last of those wins was over half a century ago, however, and they would be delighted to try and restore some of those previous glories. Neither team have been in great form, however, and could well see this as the perfect opportunity to take advantage of a game in a different competition. Continue reading for a match preview of Newcastle against Blackburn with a selected best betting tip.
Newcastle Preview
Newcastle supporters have craved success and although they reached the final of this competition on multiple occasions in the 90s, an for all the great teams of that era, they have never won a major trophy since 1955 which was the last of their six wins. It’s an awful long time and the chances of them ending that this year would appear to be beyond them. Wednesday’s defeat at home to Manchester United has left the Magpies just two points off the relegation zone. In fairness to them, however, it’s probably a position we would have expected to see them in considering the lack of money that has been invested in the playing squad since returning to the Premier League. Rafael Benitez has made no secret of that fact and he will very much view the FA Cup as being another demand on a squad that is already stretched thin. With just four wins in the league all season and little transfer activity expected this month, the signs are there that the second half of the campaign is going to be every bit as much a struggle to keep their place in the top flight but the home fans will be there in their numbers and expecting performance good enough to see off Championship Blackburn.
Blackburn Preview
Blackburn may have struggled of late to pick up points but overall they have coped well with the demands of the Championship since winning promotion last season. Tony Mowbray has not had a huge amount to celebrate in the years before taking over at Ewood Park but he is certainly making a fist of it with Rovers and – similar to his opposite number at the weekend – doing so on a shoestring budget. Their current total of 34 points has them in 15th spot and six points clear of the relegation zone. It’s a healthy enough margin but can evaporate very quickly which is why the impressive 2-1 win at home to West Brom on New Year’s Day was so important to keep that distance between themselves and the bottom three, and brought an end to three defeats in a row. It also puts them in good heart heading into the weekend’s cup fixture and they will take 5000 supporters with them to the North East, all of whom will be hoping for a memorable result. Rovers have reached the fifth round in two of the last three seasons and they may just fancy their chances of progressing into the next round at least.
Newcastle v Blackburn Betting Advice
Had this game been played a couple of decades ago then we would be talking about two of the best team’s in England. Things have changed somewhat during that period and with a few relegations between them their priorities have very much changed these days. At the beginning of their respective campaigns the sole objective was safety. Newcastle look set to be locked in a relegation battle for the remainder of their season and whilst Rovers are keeping their heads above water at the moment, that can easily change in the context of the Championship.
Fans and pundits alike are desperate to see shocks in the FA Cup to ensure the romanticism is still there. This may not have the mark of a non-league team defying the odds or a lower league outfit beating one of the superpowers but it would still be a significant scalp for a Blackburn team which have been put together mainly of players that no other team have wanted or who have something to prove – and it’s that motivation which I am backing them to get a result at St James’ Park on Saturday. Rovers have that underdog mentality and relish it, and with Newcastle’s motivation of more games questionable to the say the least, Blackburn to either win or draw the match is appealing.
