The Premier League is back after a midweek full of Carabao Cup fixtures and Newcastle are facing a trip to Ipswich.
With that comes pre-match predictions from ‘expert’ pundits and Paul Merson’s latest offerings are slightly odd, despite him backing a 2-1 away win for the Toon today.
Here’s what he’s had to say, featuring a back-handed compliment to Eddie Howe’s side and some frustrating comments on Alexander Isak.
Starting with some thoughts on our progression to the semi-finals of the cup, Merson states: “It’s quite amazing they are with these top teams in the last four.”
You’d think we were a struggling Championship side, not a team who have made the semi-finals twice in the last two years under Howe.
As for Isak, his praise for the Swede is only for the purposes of how perfect he’d be Arsenal. Anyone else find it frustrating how, whenever our star striker is discussed by the mainstream media, it’s around the idea of him leaving or being ideal for someone else?
Anyway, speaking to [Sportskeeda](https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/news-paul-merson-predicts-tottenham-vs-liverpool-premier-league-gw17-fixtures) in his latest Premier League prediction piece, Merson had this to say ahead of our trip to Portman Road:
“It was a brilliant result for Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Brentford. It’s quite amazing they are with these top teams in the last four of that competition. When Newcastle have all their players fit and on the pitch, they are a really good team.
“So they must focus on it and if they manage to do that, they will end up being a threat to any team in this division. I said this about Alexander Isak at the start of the season and I’m not changing it, if Arsenal got him it would have been the icing on the cake.
“I know Gabriel Jesus scored a hat-trick in the cup game. But Isak is on a different level. He’s a very good player and could have caused massive problems to other teams if Arsenal got him.
“Ipswich managed to pull off an incredible win last weekend against Wolves. They are nicking results here and there and are hanging on in the race to avoid relegation. That’s exactly what they should keep doing as well, but I just think Newcastle will have too much quality for them on Saturday.
**Merson’s Prediction**: Ipswich Town 1-2 Newcastle United