Town’s visit Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon looks set to see the Blues’ relegation back to the Championship confirmed.

Kieran McKenna’s side are 15 points from safety with five left to play and, with West Ham in 17th having a goal difference which is 20 superior, effectively Town are already down.

Unless the Blues beat the Magpies and the Hammers lose at Brighton, a place in next season’s Championship will be formally confirmed on Saturday.

Newcastle, who last month won the Carabao Cup, are currently fifth in the Premier League having fallen to a shock 4-1 defeat at Aston Villa last Saturday.

Prior to that, they had won five on the bounce, thrashing Crystal Palace 5-0 and Manchester United 4-1 along the way.

At St James’ Park this season they have won 10, drawn three and lost four, to Brighton, 0-1 in October, West Ham, 0-2 in November, Bournemouth, 1-4 in January, and Fulham, 1-2 in February. Since the loss to the Cottagers they have won their last four on their own turf.

Only Manchester City, 39, have scored more home goals than Newcastle’s 35, while five sides have conceded fewer than the 19 they have shipped.

Manager Eddie Howe was admitted to hospital with pneumonia a fortnight ago but returned home a week ago and was back at training this morning. He is expected to take his place on the touchline on Saturday.

Blues boss McKenna has been hugely impressed with the job the 47-year-old has done since taking charge at St James’ Park in November 2021.

“He's done fantastically well,” he said. “I had the pleasure of meeting him, spending a little bit of time with him this summer as well and he’s a fantastic person.

“Of course, he's had a great journey, worked his way up and earned all the success that he's had. 

“I think anyone who wants to see domestic coaches doing well was delighted to see them lift the trophy this year in the Carabao Cup. So, full credit to him.

“Hopefully he comes through his health [issue]. I believe he's back in training, so hopefully he'll be back to fully himself and ready to crack on with a very good job that he's doing.”

In the Portman Road fixture in December, the Magpies won 4-0 with Alexander Isak bagging a hat-trick and McKenna knows it will be tough to keep the Sweden international in check on Saturday.
“Very difficult,” he admitted. “He’s a top striker. We found it really difficult to handle him in the first game.

“And he's certainly not the only one, they’ve got a fantastic squad. They've really built a top, top team for the Premier League. Their physicality and athleticism is on an outstanding level, and that's before you're taking into account the technical quality that they have as well, and they use it well.

“He's a very good striker. They've got very good players and we're going to have to do really well to try and compete with him.”

The Team

McKenna said at his press conference that there are players on whom judgements will be made on Friday ahead of the trip to the North-East, so second-guessing his side isn’t an easy matter.

Assuming no one else has joined the already lengthy injury list, Alex Palmer will be in goal with Axel Tuanzebe at right-back, Dara O’Shea and Cameron Burgess the centre-halves and Jacob Greaves at left-back.

Leif Davis misses the trip to the club he supported as a boy as he is serving the first game of a three-match ban for last week’s red card and Conor Townsend is injured.

Young left-back Somto Boniface is likely to travel and take a place on the bench, but seems unlikely to be given a debut from the start in such a tough game and big atmosphere.

Skipper Sam Morsy and Jens Cajuste will continue in midfield with McKenna having limited options ahead of the double pivot due to injuries. Ben Johnson is likely to keep his place on the right, Julio Enciso in the middle and Jack Clarke on the left.

Liam Delap’s rib injury has meant Town’s 12-goal top scorer has only been fit enough to come off the bench in the last two matches, but McKenna says the former Manchester City man has made progress this week and could be ready to start. If not, George Hirst will be in the XI for the third game on the bounce.

With senior availability so limited, U21s forward Tommy Taylor may also be among those travelling having been on the bench for the FA Cup tie at Nottingham Forest, while Tudor Mendel is another member of John McGreal’s squad who could be included.

History

Historically, results are evenly balanced, the Blues having won 17 games between the sides (15 in the league), Newcastle 18 (17) and 15 (13) having ended in draws.

Town’s last win against the Magpies was a 3-1 victory at Portman Road in April 2017 when Freddie Sears, David McGoldrick and Emyr Huws scored for the Blues and ex-Town frontman Daryl Murphy bagged for the visitors.

The Blues are without a win at St James’ Park in nine visits since a League Cup third-round replay in November 1984, which Bobby Ferguson’s side won 2-1 with Eric Gates and Mich d’Avray on target for the Blues and Chris Waddle for the home side, while Sir Bobby Robson was in charge of the most recent league victory, 1-0 in February 1978, Clive Woods scoring the goal.

At Portman Road in December, Isak hit a hat-trick and Jacob Murphy the other as Newcastle beat the Blues 4-0.

The Swedish international put the visitors in front in the opening 25 seconds, VAR overruling an offside against Murphy in the build-up, before the former England U21 international made in 2-0 on 32, then Isak added his second and Newcastle’s third in first-half injury time and completed his hat-trick nine minutes after the restart.

Town were last at St James’ Park in October 2016 when Ayoze Perez scored twice and Matt Ritchie once as Newcastle comfortably beat Town 3-0.

Perez put the home side in front in the opening minute and added the second on 73, before Ritchie netted the third five minutes later. The Blues went closest to scoring when former Magpie Leon Best hit the bar in the first half.

Familiar Faces

Newcastle keeper Nick Pope was with the Town academy from the ages of 10 to 16 and was a Portman Road season ticket holder as a child. Following his release, the Soham-born England keeper moved on to Bury Town, Charlton, then Burnley before signing for Newcastle in the summer of 2022.

Blues left-back Davis is from Newcastle and was a boyhood Magpies fan, but was never with the club, playing youth football with the famous local side Wallsend Boys Club before moving on to Morecambe and then Leeds.

Officials

Saturday’s referee is Michael Salisbury, his assistants Neil Davies and Derek Eaton, and the fourth official Jeremy Simpson. The VAR officials is James Bell and his assistant Mat Wilkes.

Salisbury, whose father is long-serving EFL referee Graham Salisbury, has shown 65 yellow cards and four red in 20 games in all competitions so far this season.

The Preston-based ref’s most recent Town match was the 4-2 home defeat to Nottingham Forest last month in which he booked Kalvin Phillips and one of the visitors, while he was the VAR official for the 2-2 draw at Chelsea a fortnight ago.

In his fourth season in the Premier League, Salisbury was also in the middle for the 4-1 defeat at Liverpool in January when he booked Delap and Enciso.

Prior to that, he was also the VAR official for the Brighton home game when he failed to overrule referee Tony Harrington’s decision not to send off Joao Pedro for his challenge on Blues keeper Christian Walton, with ex-referees’ chief Keith Hackett highly critical of the pair afterwards.

Salisbury was at Portman Road in December when he refereed the 2-1 defeat to AFC Bournemouth, booking Delap, Sammie Szmodics and one of the visitors.

Before that, he was slated to take charge of the Blues’ 4-1 defeat at Manchester City in August but pulled out just before kick-off due to injury and was the fourth official. He was also the VAR official for the Brighton away match.

The only other Town game he has taken charge of was the famous 3-2 victory over Southampton at Portman Road in April last year in which he booked Morsy, Conor Chaplin and Jack Taylor, as well as one Saint, and dismissed former Blues loanee James Bree with five minutes remaining for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity.

Squad From

Palmer, Walton, Slicker, Tuanzebe, Boniface, Godfrey, O’Shea, Woolfenden, Burgess, Greaves, Morsy, Cajuste, Luongo, J Taylor, Johnson, Clarke, Enciso, Chaplin, T Taylor, Delap, Hirst.

TWTD

Mark added 22:24 - Apr 24 I think of you compare the cost of their squad and their wage bill to ours, you will see why Newcastle have a top, top team.
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BotesdaleBlue added 07:23 - Apr 25 It's amazing to think the last time we won there in the league was three months prior to us lifting the FA Cup. I hadn't been aware it was anthing like that long.
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Leejames99 added 07:46 - Apr 25 Jack Clarke interview in the East anglia bit worrying says he wants to stay at Town but anything that happens in the Summer would be out of their hands? Surely not going to sell him.
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Leejames99 added 07:48 - Apr 25 https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/25112150.ex-sunderland-winger-jack-clark
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Leejames99 added 08:21 - Apr 25 I will let everyone debate this, but it suggests he has a release clause so maybe Ashton has given all the new signings release clauses, for me that would be a complete waste of time signing them in first place. Perhaps we are going to be more Luton than Burnley, perhaps Kmk thinks he can go again with league 1 signings, I would hardly call that progressive, spend a bucket load on young talent who we know are great in Xhampionship, parade them in in Prem then sell them all, we were favourites to go down so what was the point. Was looking forward to next season seeing these players excell in Championship. We had a lucky season to get promoted, I can not see Morsy and Co taking town anywhere but back to league one, has that been done before 2 promotions up then 2 relegations, yes Wolves, Southampton, Swindon and maybe Luton. I hope Ashton cones out soon and tells us what exactly is the situation instead of magic mck, no doubt about that, fine margins, journey nonsense.

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NottsTractor added 09:42 - Apr 25 Morning @Leejames, I didn't read it in the same way that you did. I recognise it is subjective in terms of the detail available, but felt that the line was implying that the club may get an offer it chose to take as was financially beneficial: ''If something happens over the summer it’ll probably be out of our hands – but there’s nowhere I’d rather be playing football next season.” He also says: "Weirdly, it’s probably been one of the most enjoyable seasons, without actually winning that many games – just in terms of the experience and the level that we’re competing against.'' The article certainly did not make me focus upon League One or reflect negatively, or positively on our manager. It is however nice to read that someone who is not a guaranteed starter is still really enjoying being at the club.

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Facefacts added 11:33 - Apr 25 I thought I saw us win there when Dozzell / Kiwomya did the old free kick behind the defensive wall routine, but that may have been a cup game. Would have been early 90s. If we did win, it was 2-1.
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Leejames99 added 11:39 - Apr 25 @nottstractor Fair point, not sure why he would even have to say that, I said the other day, Mckenna has been great in lower league's and for some reason he has got through this abysmal season still at the helm, for me he should of gone during international brwak prior to Wolves but he still here and has all the backing and players he signed to add to and build a squad fit for the Prem to establish but I'm starting to think he is so arrogant that he thinks he can get promoted again with the same players he has had since day one. He would rather play Davis rather than Townsend hence why Clarke probaly go, he loves Morsy and has Humphries and J Taylor, he has is absolute fave Burns who he will play anywhere to get him on, Palmer and Muric might go so he will say Walton is a Prem experienced keeper and he thinks Hirst is pivotal. I think he might go for a striker from a relegated club and the opening day team will be almost exactly this, Mckenna doesn't want change of player or system, he sticks to his plan, his values, his process etc Walton H Clarke Woolfenden Baggott Davis Morsy Humphries Chaplin Broadhead/Harness Burns Hirst I think at least 9 of them start.

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blueboy1981 added 17:07 - Apr 25 Nothing, but absolutely nothing, should surprise anyone that happens at ITFC between now and August. Brace yourselves for whatever is ahead !!
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BangaloreBlues added 19:02 - Apr 25 This site used to be called TWTD. Now it's the Lee James forum. You have hijacked this site and made it all about you. You are one serious narcissist.
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Leejames99 added 20:39 - Apr 25 @bangaloreblues What a narcissist for having an opinion that's different to yours? If people didn't write stupid rude comments I wouldn't have to respond, if you got nothing Ipswich Town to say and don't agree with my opinion Mark down and move on or block very simple
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gippeswyk added 22:50 - Apr 25 Leejames99, what planet are you on to suggest McK should have been sacked or that Town are set to release most of their signings and revert to a bargain basement but plucky squad assembled in Lg1 and the Championship? You are totally deluded if you think Town will emulate Luton, and can't have bothered to read or assimilate the consistent message from Mark Ashton/the owners and Kieran about the plans and aspirations for our club. You do waste a lot of our time wading through your drivel. I wasn't aware I could block you. Thanks, that must be the only useful thing you've ever contributed. I will give that a go right now!

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armchaircritic59 added 23:48 - Apr 25 Whatever the ins and outs, comings and goings, whether it be players, manager etc, it needs to be sorted out extremely quickly after the final whistle blows on this season on May 25th. The new Championship season starts on August 8th, a short turnaround. We cannot get anywhere close to that date without knowing exactly who's here, who isn't, and anyone that's new needs plenty of time to gel with everyone else. And if by any chance that includes a new manager (personally I hope it doesn't), that needs to be sorted out in days, not weeks. No time to waste this coming pre season!

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Leejames99 added 23:58 - Apr 25 Bye Gippswyk, your deluded mate, buying into Mckenna nonsense, why won't we do a Luton, why are we anyt different? You all want Mckenna to stay and Hirst leading the line with Chalon, Burns, Morsy, Davis etc and become am established Prem team, you cult followers on here, who is'our' and'we' its weird, calling supporters deluded and bad names and just agree with anything you read in papers, don't you think Luton had aspirations to go back up and every club in Championship will be trying to get to Prem, the cult talk like we decide when we want to go into the Premier league, it's nonsense. The ones who agree with me which is every pundit, ex player, ex manager and alot of fans absolutely agree with Ashton and the owners and we want to be an established Premier League team but we know Mckenna is not the man to do that and nor are League 1/average championship players, Mckennas fall for grace is unlike anything seen in club history, the worst home record ever! Ever! Worse than Paul Hirst jeez. This is for opinions not one opinion and choice to join this cult of happy clappers who applaud relegation and are happy with players as old as the manager and 5 goal a season strikers. I presume when Mckenna and Burns and David etc go you will all just follow Mckenna to his next club, Colchester, Cambridge, MK Don's or something proper football conversations about football and the football club can happen. If Mckenna not gone after last game he will 100% be gone by Christmas and its easy to say why, he will not change, we were the only club in all the leagues with no win, multi million pound players on bench while part time league one lads puffing about chewing gum. Big changes are coming ipswich Town is a business and the owners won't settle for fine margins nonsense much longer by a multi millionaire from the david Beckham Academy. Did well ion league 1, fluked the championship and got us relegated with bells on and some fans want a statue of him and put him in a mpuld with Robson, Ramsey and Burley, for a league 1 promotion its a joke.

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Leejames99 added 00:04 - Apr 26 @armchair59 totally agree. The reason i said Mckenna should of been sacked is I think if a new manager came in before Wolves game we would of stayed up, Mckenna couldn't even build a team for Wolves. I actually think he has lost the dressing room, have you noticed no new signings come out and talk, they must be fuming had to be spectators all season or played out of position. Id love to be a fly on the wall, Slicker and Townsend, Clarke, Phillogene etc must be astounded how bad he is, talks the talk but at Prem level cannot walk the walk, he can't even dawdle the dawdle

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BangaloreBlues added 08:58 - Apr 26 @LeeJames Did I say your opinions are different from mine? I never mentioned your opinions because I don't read your essays. I said you have hijacked this site and that you are a narcissist and have made it all about you. Try reading what I've said before replying.
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Leejames99 added 09:45 - Apr 26 @Bangaloreblues Try not replying at all if it's not football related, nobody especially me, needs to read you evaluation of my personality, if I didn't have to respond to unrelated football posts like that i wouldnt be on here half as much, if you dont want to read my opinions then just hit block and you will no longer see them. If you don't read my 'essays then how would you know they are all about me? What your offended by my name. Good day to you

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Linkboy13 added 14:56 - Apr 26 The numpty heads on here suggesting the manager should be sacked never put forward any viable alternatives mainly because they haven't got a brain cell in their head. Perhaps Dyche or Gerrard Rooney maybe he's a big name manager all serial failures. The facts are we haven't got a squad any where near Premier league quality and no manager is going to change that. Southampton and Leicester have done wonderfully well since changing their managers haven't they .

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