United lose to Preston in pre-season friendly
So Newcastle lost 2-1 to Preston at Deepdale. But let’s not get our knickers in a twist, this was our third friendly of the season and it won’t mean much to anyone by the time the season starts.
Having said that there were some worrying signs for those in black and white, well, green as they turned out.
The first would be the lack of strength in the starting line-up. Obviously, United have lost key players in Rondon and Perez whilst Diame and Kenedy have moved on. Bruce can also point to his bench with record signing Joelinton coming on in the second half, whilst Almiron, Lascelles and Sean Longstaff also started with splinters in their backside. Then there is Lejeune, still injured and the mysterious case of the missing Dubravka, rumoured to be the subject of serious interest form PSG.
And what about further new signings?
Word is Newcastle are trying to get several in. From Saint-Maximin to the PSG left back N’Soki. Talk of McCarthy from Everton too whilst rumours of Carroll back on a free also won’t go away.
After the game Bruce talked about his hope of ‘getting one or two over the line’. Echoes of Pardew if you ask me!
As for the links with Danny Rose. Yea, like that was ever going to happen.
STARTING XI: Woodman, Dummett (Clark, 46), Schar (Lascelles, 46), Fernandez, Manquillo (Sterry, 46), Ritchie (Murphy, 46), Hayden (Colback, 46), Shelvey (Ki, 46), M Longstaff (S Longstaff, 46), Aarons (Almirin, 46), Muto (Joilinton, 46)
After two games in Shanghai last week it was back to the UK with a bumps today. Three penalties, two for Preston and two for United would be at the centre of the game.
And whilst Paul Gallagher of Preston would convert both of his the story would be very different for the still goalless Almiron. His penalty saved by Rudd.
Newcastle had made a decent start, a Shelvey free kick somehow finding its way into the goal with the keeper seemingly misjudging the flight of the ball and flapping it into the unguarded net.
Chances had come and gone from Hayden and Shelvey before then. Whilst Muto was unbelievably wasteful when sent clean through but could find neither the net nor a teammate.
Newcastle were then even more wasteful after Joelinton, who’d only been on the pitch for moments, gained a penalty. Up stepped Almiron, still looking for his first goal in Newcastle colours, to see his spot kicked saved.
On 60 minutes Sterry was adjudged to have handled and Preston equalised from the spot. And on 71 minutes the turnaround was complete. This time Joelinton fouling Bauer before Gallagher made no mistake again.
Let’s hope there is a more settled side and and perhaps some new faces before the Hibs game on Tuesday.