Leicester v Newcastle - Match Preview

A turbulent week for Newcastle United ended with Head Coach, Steve McClaren, being sacked and former Real Madrid boss Rafael Benítez appointed as Manager on a three-year deal. The Spaniard has taken immediate control and cancelled the players’ day-off on Friday by calling them in for extra training, as the Magpies prepare against table-toppers Leicester City.

The writing was on the wall for McClaren after last weekend’s humiliating defeat to Bournemouth. After five days of uncertainty, speculation and cameras following McClaren around intrusively, Lee Charnley finally stopped vacillating and wielded the axe on the man he was so desperate to bring in at the start of the season. In what has been an absolute mess of a campaign, the Magpies are hoping they have one final reprieve with the guidance of Benítez – who has an “opt-out” relegation clause in his contract, which will allow him to leave if the club is relegated to the Championship.

With the players suffering low on confidence after a host of abject performances under McClaren, it’ll be fair to say the former Liverpool manager - who led the Anfield club to a remarkable Champions League win in 2005 – has his hands full in re-galvanising his squad with 10 games remaining. However, confidence will be high on Tyneside; appointing a manager of such great calibre will no doubt give the fans a much-needed lift. A week ago, rumours on Benítez-Newcastle link were deemed crass and laughed off – now it’s a reality, the buoyant Toon Army will unanimously get behind their men and the new manager at the King Power stadium on Monday night.

The game against Leicester will be exceptionally tough and the Geordies will have their work cut out. The Foxes have been simply tremendous and find themselves five points clear at the top of the Premier League. Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez have been astounding, the duo and the whole Leicester team have flawlessly showcased what a little bit of hard work can lead to. If there ever was a team Newcastle needed some inspiration from, it should be Leicester City: from relegation survivors to title contenders, from the unthinkable to the very much probable – Ranieri is nine games away from masterminding the biggest shock in the Premier League’s history.

How Benítez lines the team up for Monday’s encounter will be interesting. With 53 goals already shipped in the league, you can envisage that a lot of work will be done in the next couple of days in the training ground on Newcastle’s Achilles heel. It’s reported that Paul Dummett is definitely out, and Massadio Haïdara is not ready for first-team action, meaning Jack Colback could slot in at left-back. Andros Townsend, Kevin Mbabu and current club captain Fabricio Coloccini are expected to return, but there are doubts on Chancel Mbemba. Another of Newcastle United’s failings this season has been scoring goals, Benítez’s preferred formation is 4-2-3-1, so there would be no surprises if he opts to choose Ayoze Pérez upfront.

Ranieri’s men have only lost once at home this season (5-2 against Arsenal) and Newcastle have only won twice away from home. The first meeting between the two clubs this season ended in a comfortable 3-0 Leicester win. If the Magpies can earn a hard-fought draw it would be a huge confidence boost to aide their push for survival and the side will be encouraged going into the Tyne-Wear derby – Rafa’s home debut at a sold-out St. James’ Park.

Possible XI

Elliot • Colback, Coloccini, Taylor, Janmaat • Shelvey, Anita • Townsend, Wijnaldum, Sissoko • Pérez

Man To Watch

Riyad Mahrez

Last Five Meetings At King Power Stadium

PL: 3-0 L

FAC: 1-0 L

CHP: 0-0 D

PL: 1-1 D

PL: 0-0 D

Watch Rafa Benítez’s first Newcastle United interview (courtesy of www.rafabenitez.com): http://www.rafabenitez.com/web/in/multimedia/videos/first-words-rafa-benitez-black-and/3522/