Newcastle United travel to Leeds United this evening aiming for their first Premier League win of the season.
The experts are predicting another winless afternoon for Newcastle United at Elland Road today.
Eddie Howe has just one point to show from two spirited performances in the Premier League this season. A key reason behind Newcastle’s toothless start has been the lack of a striker to lead the line.
Star striker Alexander Isak remains AWOL as he continues to angle for a Liverpool move. On a positive note, the Magpies are set to announce a big-money forward - Nick Woltemade - but have not registered him in time to play today.
How do the pundits believe Howe and Co will fare this afternoon? NewcastleWorld have profiled their pre-match verdicts.
Chris Sutton
"Newcastle were phenomenal against Liverpool,” he told BBC Sport. “But my worry for them is this: Sandro Tonali and Joelinton both went off injured last match and those two in midfield are an absolute force. I don't know what taking them out will do to the team.
"Leeds lost 5-0 to Arsenal. They were thumped. Well beaten. But are they going to be a different proposition at Elland Road? They played with such great intensity in their opening game against Everton.
"There should be an asterisk for this one, really. If Tonali and Joelinton are fit, which I don't think will be, then Newcastle should win. But this has put me in a really vulnerable position as the BBC predictions expert - I don't have all the data!
"With Anthony Gordon also suspended, I'm going for a draw, purely based on the fact that Newcastle won't have any players."
Paul Merson
"Newcastle were outstanding the other day against Liverpool,” he wrote in his SportsKeeda column. “But they got no points to show for that brilliant performance, which will be quite hard to take for the players. The bigger problem here is that they could be without Joelinton and Sandro Tonali, who both limped off with injuries in that loss to Liverpool.
“Alexander Isak is obviously missing and to make matters worse, his deputy at centre-forward Anthony Gordon is suspended! If Newcastle had all of their players fit and available, they would easily win this game.
“William Osula came on and scored against Liverpool but I still don't think he's ready to start week in, week out in the Premier League. This is the perfect time for Leeds to take on Newcastle and they should try to make the most of it.
“Leeds will be disappointed about losing to Sheffield Wednesday in the Carabao Cup, that is a game they should have won. I expect a better result this weekend."
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