BBC Sport pundit Mark Lawrenson believes Newcastle United’s mid-week victory over Blackburn Rovers will turn out to be a ‘big thing’ for Rafael Benitez’s side.
The Magpies overcame the Championship outfit 4-2 after extra time in the FA Cup on Tuesday, and Lawrenson believes they will parlay that into a 2-0 victory over Cardiff City on Saturday.
“Newcastle replaced Cardiff in the bottom three last week, but it is hard to see either of these teams pulling clear of the relegation battle. Whatever happens in this game is not going to change that,” he wrote on the BBC Sport website. “Cardiff are trying to bolster their attack by signing Emiliano Sala for around £18m from Nantes, and loaning Oumar Niasse from Everton.
“There is no sign of Newcastle doing anything similar in the transfer market but I am still going with them to win this game.
“Whether or not Magpies boss Rafa Benitez really wanted to progress in the FA Cup or not, I think their win at Blackburn on Tuesday is a big thing. If your kids can win, like Newcastle’s did, you think ‘hold on a minute, maybe we are not that bad’.”
OPINION
It remains to be seen whether Newcastle’s extra time victory over a second tier side will have the transformative effect that Lawrenson is predicting, but considering the youthful line up that Benitez put out he will be very pleased with the result. A cup run may not sound like what the Magpies need at this moment in time, but it could end up giving them the boost they need in the Premier League as well. Saturday’s clash with Cardiff is absolutely massive for both teams. The two sides both look like they could conceivably get out of trouble this season, but it’s likely that only one of them will. Cardiff are, as Lawrenson says, attempting to recruit some difference-makers this month, whereas it’s all quiet from a Newcastle perspective. Still, the Bluebirds don’t have Sala or Niasse in quite yet, and so the Magpies might have enough to overcome them on Saturday.
