Jack Taylor celebrates his winner at Wolves last week - can Town make it back-to-back wins today?Jack Taylor celebrates his winner at Wolves last week - can Town make it back-to-back wins today? (Image: PA) HISTORY BECKONS
For the second time this season, following much needed 2-1 away wins, Town have the chance to record consecutive victories in the top tier and grab a first home triumph of the campaign.
They followed their first win of the season, an unexpected three points at Spurs, with a pulsating point in an absorbing 1-1 home draw with Manchester United.
Now, after grabbing a vital winner at the death at Wolves last week, they have another chance to secure a first home victory of the season, and make it back-to-back wins for the first time too.
Should they manage consecutive top flight wins, it would be the first time since they beat Fulham at home (1-0) and Everton away (2-1) all the way back in February 2002.
That double came at the end of a four-game winning run which started on January 12 with a 2-1 home win over Spurs and was followed by a 3-1 triumph at Derby County.
What Town would do for a four game winning-run now!
A home win would also be their first in the top tier since they bested Middlesbrough 1-0 on April 24th, 2002.
Given home form is likely to be key if the Blues are to stay up this season, they have to start finding ways of winning games in Suffolk.
As it stands, they've drawn four and lost four, scoring six but conceding 12. That puts them 18th in the home form table.
In contrast, Newcastle have won two, drawn three and lost three of their away games so far, scoring 11 and conceding 13.
L-R: Ali Al-Hamadi, Sammie Szmodics and Nathan Broadhead are all potential options to replace Liam Delap up top todayL-R: Ali Al-Hamadi, Sammie Szmodics and Nathan Broadhead are all potential options to replace Liam Delap up top today (Image: Ross Halls) DELAP DEBATE
The big talking point for Town going into this game, in terms of team selection, is how to replace leading scorer Liam Delap.
The brilliant young striker has bagged six goals in his debut season leading the line in the top tier, but is suspended today after getting a yellow card in the post-game fracas at Wolves last week.
With George Hirst injured, that leaves Ali Al-Hamadi as the only fit recognised striker in Town's squad.
But he was only playing in League Two earlier this year and, though he's mostly looked lively in his cameos off the bench, asking him to start for the first time in the Premier League and play at least an hour may be a step too far.
In terms of other options, Sammie Szmodics, Conor Chaplin and Nathan Broadhead could also fill that role, with Kieran McKenna also throwing Wes Burns and Omari Hutchinson into the mix during yesterday's press conference.
For me, Szmodics looks most likely to start there today. He played up top for Blackburn 11 times last season, scoring six goals.
Interestingly, he also played as the striker when Rovers faced Newcastle in the FA Cup back in February, scoring the equaliser in a game his side lost on penalties.
Is this a game for the dribbling and creativity of Jack Clarke?Is this a game for the dribbling and creativity of Jack Clarke? (Image: Ross Halls) ANY OTHER XI POSERS?
Aside from the striker call, there's the usual questions around who plays behind the front man.
Omari Hutchinson played on the left last week, with Conor Chaplin in the middle and Wes Burns right. You'd imagine Hutchinson and Chaplin will both feature again, while one wonders if this could be a game for the ball-carrying and dribbling ability of Jack Clarke on the left. Or might we even see Broadhead start for the first time this season?
Sam Morsy and Jens Cajuste seem to have the midfield spots locked up, while Dara O'Shea, Cameron Burgess and Leif Davis will surely form three quarters of the back line.
So the only question left will be whether Ben Johnson is fit enough to challenge Harry Clarke at right-back.
Alexander Isak has scored seven goals in his last ten gamesAlexander Isak has scored seven goals in his last ten games (Image: Richard Sellers) TOON ON THE UP?
Newcastle have been consistently inconsistent this season, and sit 12th in the table after 16 games.
But they head to Suffolk on the back of two good wins, having handed van Nistelrooy's Leicester City a Ruud awakening last Saturday in a 4-0 thumping and following that up with a 3-1 win over Brentford which put them into the last four of the Carabao Cup in midweek.
They tend to score and concede plenty - they've also lost 4-2 at Brentford and drawn 3-3 with Liverpool this month - so this feels like it could be an open, exciting game.
And, in Alexander Isak, they have one of the form players in the top tier - the Swedish striker has bagged seven goals in his last ten games.
Sir Bobby Robson is an icon at both Town and NewcastleSir Bobby Robson is an icon at both Town and Newcastle (Image: PA) EMOTIONAL TIES
Games between these two sides always have an extra tinge of emotion, given the links both have with the legendary Sir Bobby Robson - an icon with statues outside both Portman Road and St James' Park.
But there are plenty of other links too - Kieron Dyer, Titus Bramble, Darren Ambrose and Daryl Murphy all played for both in recent times, while Robson's right hand man at Town, Bobby Ferguson, also played for Newcastle.
In the current squad, star left-back Leif Davis is a Newcastle fan, while winger Jack Clarke, an ex-Sunderland standout, will surely have a bit of extra edge when he gets on the pitch today.
Emyr Huws celebrates his goal in the win over Newcastle back in 2017Emyr Huws scored in the win over Newcastle back in 2017 (Image: Steve Waller) LAST TIME OUT
This is the first time that these two sides have met since Easter Monday in April 2017, when Town scored a memorable 3-1 win at Portman Road.
Murphy was on target against his old side for the promotion-bound Geordies that day, but strikes from Freddie Sears, David McGoldrick and Emyr Huws - the latter probably his best moment in a Town shirt - gave Town an impressive win.
More of the same today, please!