Can promoted Nottingham upset Newcastle?

The ball will be rolling again in the Premier League this weekend and Newcastle United, newly rich since last winter, have their work cut out for them. The new season should serve to set their sights on Europe.

That won’t be a foregone conclusion, however, as ambitious teams abound in England. Before the match between Newcastle and Nottingham, the odds are definitely in favour of the hosts, who are better equipped individually than the promoted team. But the latter has also changed a lot.

This match could well be an exciting one and a sign of whether the Magpies can manage to back up their big ambitions with performances this season. The game kicks off on Saturday afternoon at 4pm.

Newcastle – Statistics & current form

Last winter Newcastle United, then with new coach Eddie Howe, were able to buy properly. The squad was strengthened and the relegation battle was left behind. This was the first sign of the direction in which the Magpies could go. The team played relatively attractive football at times and also held their own against some stronger clubs from the Premier League. The new season should be similar, with a place in the top half of the table as a minimum goal.

However, the transfer summer has been rather lukewarm so far. Pope, Targett and Botman are three very good players who will all have an impact on the defence, but several players Newcastle were interested in were given a black eye. If the Magpies come knocking, the price tag automatically goes up. And so, at the start of the new season in the Premier League, the squad is still unfinished and in need of additions, especially offensively.

In the pre-season, the second half of the season in particular was a complete success. Newcastle won six of the last eight competitive matches of the previous season. There were almost only defeats against big names like Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea & Co. in the second half of the season, where the Magpies were shown more than once where the limits are.

Newcastle looking to make a splash this season

The pre-season statistics need to be differentiated a little from each other. Up until matchday 24, Newcastle were in a relegation spot, not winning any of their first 14 games of the season. On the other hand, the rest of the season was very good, with five defeats in 15 games proving that.

The second half of the season would have been enough to at least play for seventh or eighth place, if not more. The two cup slip-ups, each in the first round in which the Magpies participated, perfectly rounded off a season marked by ups and downs. 2022/23 is now set to be the season of the Howe eleven, with more structure in the game, but at the same time continuing to have some flexibility in the systems.

Overall, Newcastle can go into the new season in a relatively positive mood. There are still some problems to fix, but there is still time. Due to the omens, our prediction before the match Newcastle vs Nottingham is that the hosts will win the match. Bookmaker Bet365 offers a handy Bet365 App for spontaneous bets on the go.

Predicted Newcastle line-up:
Pope – Trippier, Lascelles, Botman, Targett – Bruno Guimaraes, Willock, Joelinton, Almiron, Saint-Maximin – Wilson

Last matches played by Newcastle:

Friendly club matches
30/07/2022 – Newcastle 2 – 1 Athletic Bilbao

30/07/2022 – Newcastle 1 – 0 Atalanta Bergamo

27/07/2022 – Benfica 3 – 2 Newcastle

18/07/2022 – Mainz 05 1 – 0 Newcastle

15/07/2022 – Newcastle 3 – 0 1860 Munich

Nottingham – Statistics & current form

Nottingham Forest, as a promoted team in the Premier League, naturally want nothing to do with the relegation battle for the time being. To this end, they invested heavily in the summer. For players like Awoniyi, Niakhate, Richards, Biancone or Mangala, the promoted team spent more than 90 million euros. With relatively little income from the sale of players.

The many new players mean that the automatisms still have to adjust. Nottingham tried out a few things in preparation and generally like to play with a five-man backline and two tall, dynamic wing-backs. That will also be part of the repertoire in the new season, although flexibility can also be a trump card.

Despite the many investments and a preparation that produced quite good approaches, the odds of the best bookmakers indicate an underdog role for the visitors before the match Newcastle against Nottingham. Nottingham must be allowed a period of time to find their feet, this team will not function from one moment to the next

Nottingham: Will the team take the promotion euphoria with them?

In the pre-season play-off match for promotion to the Premier League, Nottingham beat Huddersfield. It was the end of a good final run with only one defeat in the last nine games. The 2021/22 season finally ended with the promotion of the traditional club after one of the most important football matches for a club, especially financially.

The course of that very season was somewhat similar to Newcastle’s. Nottingham lost their first four games, but their first win came on matchday eight. Gradually, the team fought its way towards the play-off places, partly because there were ten wins away from home and only 18 goals conceded in 23 games. The defence was good anyway, 40 goals conceded in the tough Championship is an absolutely good value.

However, it would be wrong to automatically extrapolate this to the Premier League, because here the level is even higher. The defence has to prove itself first. The visitors are good for a goal, but Newcastle are also an offensively well-stocked team, which is why our value tip before the Newcastle vs Nottingham match is that both teams will score.

Predicted Nottingham line-up:
Henderson – Williams, Biancone, Worrall, Niakhate, Toffolo – Mangala, O’Brien, Lingard – Johnson, Awoniyi

Last matches played by Nottingham:

Friendly club matches
30/07/2022 – Nottingham Forest 1 – 1 Valencia

27/07/2022 – Notts Co. 2 – 2 Nottingham Forest

23/07/2022 – Union Berlin 1 – 0 Nottingham Forest

21/07/2022 – Nottingham Forest 3 – 1 Hertha BSC

16/07/2022 – Barnsley 0 – 0 Nottingham Forest

Newcastle – Nottingham Direct comparison / H2H record

111 times both teams have met in direct comparison. 50 games went to Newcastle, 34 to Nottingham, 27 times both separated with a draw. With 171:133, Newcastle have an advantage in goals scored as well as in wins.

Newcastle – Nottingham Tip

An ambitious team with a good second half and an ambitious promoted team with a lot of transfers in the summer face each other. For the first matchday there would certainly be omens that are less exciting

Newcastle have advantages in terms of quality, so before the game Newcastle vs Nottingham our tip is also that the hosts win the game.