Stoke have an excellent record at the Britannia Stadium but it’s now 12 matches since Newcastle lost in the Premier League and they can extend that excellent run with at least a point on Monday.
You have to go back to a 3-0 loss at Anfield in May to find the last time Newcastle were beaten in the English top flight and, while the fixture list has been kind to the Magpies so far this season, there appears no fluke about their success.
The loss of Andy Carroll in January plus the departure of Joey Barton and Kevin Nolan in the summer, three of their most influential figures, actually seems to have galvanised the club and Alan Pardew, the manger, must take an awful lot of credit.
The signings of the likes of Yohan Cabaye and Cheikh Tiote have proved excellent purchases over the past 18 months while the goals of Demba Ba, who enjoyed a fruitful spell at West Ham before moving to the north-east, have been crucial.
Ba now has a thoroughly impressive 12 goals in 20 Premier League matches and he got the opener versus Wolves in Newcastle’s most recent top flight away match.
That 2-1 success at Molineux was followed by four excellent points from home matches against Tottenham and Wigan and Pardew will be hopeful of adding to the tally against the Potters. It won’t be easy but Stoke look short to me at around the 2.20 and I’m happy to have the draw and the visitors on my side.
Stoke manager Tony Pullis, like Pardew at St James’ Park, is largely responsible for the current highs being experienced at his club and their excellent Europa League form is testament to that. They are prone to the odd shocker though, their 4-0 defeat at Sunderland was inexplicable, and Stoke will have to be at the top of their game to see-off their opponents.
1pt Lay Stoke (vs. Newcastle) @ 2.20 (Betfair)