Following their FA Cup exploits last weekend, it’s a return to Championship action for Newcastle United today as they travel down to west London to take on Brentford at Griffin Park.
With Leeds United having won to ramp up the pressure on Rafa Benitez’s second-placed Magpies, the gap between they and the Whites now stands at just four points, so a return to winning ways over the Bees is of the utmost importance.
After some stuttering league form, the pressure is on today as the Magpies look to reproduce the sort of performance that saw them dispose of Brentford with relative ease at St. James’ Park 3-1 back in October.
Naturally, there are a raft of changes from the FA Cup clash with Birmingham City last weekend, with Karl Darlow replacing Matz Sels in goal and Paul Dummett returning at left-back. Top scorer Dwight Gayle is also handed a starting berth, having bagged a brace in the reverse fixture.
Darlow, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Colback, Hayden, Ritchie, Gouffran, Perez, Gayle. #nufc
— Lee Ryder (@lee_ryder) January 14, 2017
