Match Preview/Stats/Thread: Newcastle Utd v Stoke City
By Tyne-Talk December 24 2013
Newcastle United host Stoke City tomorrow in the Boxing Day game. Newcastle go into the game on the back of four wins, one defeat and one draw from their last six games. Stoke travel to St James’ Park on the back of two wins, two draws and two defeats from their last six.
Newcastle will be without Cheik Tiote who is suspended having picked up five yellow cards but Hatem Ben Arfa will be hoping to step in the starting eleven after coming off the bench in the game against Crystal Palace at the weekend and made an instant impact.
Jonas Gutierrez (calf) in unavailable for selection but there are no other injury concerns for Alan Pardew.
Stoke City manager Mark Hughes is without Robert Huth (knee) for the festive period.
Fact: Yohan Cabaye and Papiss Cisse have both scored three goals in their last three league appearances against Stoke,
Fact: Jon Walters has scored in four of his last five Premier League appearances against Newcastle.
Fact: They have lost just one of their last eight league matches (W6, D1, L1).
Gloomy but true. There were some iffy decisions.
The first yellow card against Whelan was a tad harsh.
The ball that HBA crossed for someone else to score, looked out of play when he kicked it.
There was a definite handball just outside the box against Williamson and had Stoke got the free kick from that we might have been in trouble.
I know people will say it's time we had some decisions go our way but if we'd been in Stoke's position we'd all be on here now kicking spots of the ref.
Whelan deserved to go off, he kicked the ball away which is bookable and the tackle was a bookable offence, there was 2 controversial decisions with 2 of our goals but they were the right decisions. The ref let stoke off with a lot in the second half, they could have quite easily lost 2 more players.
Dave, it may be gloomy but i believe we were due a loss and had it not been for a bit of luck that match looked like it may have been it.
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