Abdulhafiz TeslimNewcastle United return to Premier League action on Monday night with a difficult trip to Elland Road, but there is already plenty of attention surrounding what could happen when Matthias Jaissle’s side take on Leeds United.
Both teams have made encouraging starts to the new campaign, and with the match taking place under the lights, there is a feeling that this could be one of the more entertaining fixtures of the weekend.
Leeds will be looking for their first Premier League victory at Elland Road this season after drawing 1-1 with Brentford in their only home league game so far. Despite that, Daniel Farke’s side have shown enough to suggest they will not be easy opponents.
Newcastle, meanwhile, have also made a decent start under Jaissle.
The Magpies have already shown their ability to compete in difficult games, while their attacking options have started to attract plenty of attention.
And that is exactly where Sky Sports pundit Jay Bothroyd believes the danger could come from.
Bothroyd has assessed Monday night’s fixture and admitted that he expects a tough contest between two sides who possess plenty of energy and quality.
“Leeds, Newcastle, I think it’s going to be a tough game,” Bothroyd said.
He praised Leeds for the confidence they have carried into the Premier League, pointing towards Farke’s organisation and the energy within the team.
But he also had plenty of praise for Newcastle.
Bothroyd highlighted the Magpies’ manager and their individual quality before specifically pointing towards two players who he believes could cause Leeds serious problems.
Yoane Wissa has impressed since returning to action, while Anthony Elanga has also started the campaign in excellent form.
Bothroyd described Elanga as being “on fire” and believes Newcastle have enough attacking threat to make this a fascinating contest.
However, despite the warning for Leeds, the Sky Sports pundit does not expect Newcastle to leave Yorkshire with all three points.
His final prediction may actually surprise some Newcastle supporters.
Rather than backing either side to win, Bothroyd believes the two teams will cancel each other out.
His prediction?
An exciting 1-1 draw.
That means Bothroyd expects Newcastle’s attacking threat to cause problems, but he also believes Leeds have enough quality and organisation to respond.
For Jaissle, it represents another major test of the progress being made under his leadership.
Newcastle will certainly want more than a point, especially after showing signs that they can compete at a high level this season. But Leeds will have the home crowd behind them, and their players will be determined to make Elland Road a difficult place for the visitors.
The match takes place on Monday, September 14, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm.
And with Bothroyd predicting a 1-1 draw, all eyes will now be on Elland Road to see whether the Sky Sports pundit has got this one right — or whether Jaissle’s Newcastle can silence the prediction and return home with a huge three points.
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Abdulhafiz Teslim
