We have analyzed Newcastle and their squad and came to conclusion that their latest signing Emmanuel Riviere has gained
confidence after scoring two goals in the regular time, thus keeping Newcastle in game for a late victory.
confidence after scoring two goals in the regular time, thus keeping Newcastle in game for a late victory.
Papiss Cisse had a great comeback after the injury, also scoring two goals to see his team win a difficult point against Hull. On the same match a new rising star had his 5 minutes on the pitch. 17 year old Adam Armstrong shined against Crystal Palace scoring the winning goal on his debut.
Stoke has shown that they are perfectly in shape for the new season with their win over Manchester City away with score 1:0. They are looking for their first win on Britannia Stadium - traditionally a fortress where even the clubs from the top of the table struggle to get some points. Last season they have lost only 3 games in front of their fans, and managed to beat Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal.
That being said, all Newcastle fans might get demotivated before the start of the match, but this should not be the case. I believe that Newcastle is back on track based on how they've played their last two games. Stoke might be hard rock having a defence with Showcross and Huth, but Riviere and Cisse are top class players and if they have good support, they can score against any Premier League side.
On the other side, if Peter Crouch is first option for Stoke, I can see a struggle for goals. They have players like Moses and Krkic, and they can cause problems to Colochini and Taylor. If Charlie Adam is up to the challenge creating chances, these two talented players can deliver.
It will be a wonderful game, and beside the lack of goals in the first five Stoke games this season (1.8 goals avg.), I expect Newcastle strikers to step up and challenge their opponents.
NostradamusTip: Over 2.5 goals