Page 196 - 368603 LP250721 AWY AWY AWY Book (238pp A5)

Borini will probably miss out through injury unless that's a bit of kidology so maybe Watmore could have a go. We all know that form means nothing in these matches while the atmosphere is going to be great and I'll be there to make my contribution to the racket. Results went well for us yesterday with Norwich, Stoke, Villa and Chelsea all losing and the latter two clubs seem to be in a worse state than us at the moment. Well, it's 9.35 and it's time to get some ballast down the neck before heading off for a pre-match slurp. Match prediction: 1-0 to us.
We left the pub early at 11.15 to make sure we got in in good time through the crowds and road closures and I was in my seat in the middle of the East Stand fifteen minutes before kick-off. The atmosphere was good and spirits were high but then things took a distinct downturn after we kicked off...
Three minutes of stoppage-time were announced as the first-half drew to a close and we'd been very much second best till that point. Newcastle had been much sharper than us with Sissoko especially looking very dangerous down their right wing. They'd been passing the ball around purposefully and we'd been chasing shadows half the time. Toivonen, instead of providing the inspiration I'd hoped for had had a nightmare game, mispassing almost every ball and looking decidedly lost. In the thirty-sixth minute he'd gone off injured and been subbed by Defoe, to tremendous applause all round, and at the same time O'Shea was replaced by Coates also due to injury. We actually started to look better after that but by
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