St Andrew’s awaits – Birmingham v Newcastle preview | OneFootball

Welcome to the Birmingham  v Newcastle preview,

FA Cup fourth Round

Newcastle and Birmingham face off on Saturday evening live on BBC1, hoping to secure a place in the last sixteen of the FA Cup.

Newcastle fans and players will be hoping this is an excuse to prolong celebrations after the ecstasy of reaching a second league cup final in just three seasons. League One table-toppers

Birmingham will be hoping to spring a shock and continue their fine season that sees them favourites for promotion and EFL trophy semi-finalists.

Newcastle are on a tremendous run at present having won eleven of their past thirteen matches. This form has seen the Toon reach the league Cup final and push their way into the top six of the Premier League. In the Cup this season we’ve seen off Nottingham Forest, AFC Wimbledon, Chelsea, Brentford and Arsenal in the league cup, whilst we also survived a scare to beat Bromley in the FA Cup. We’ve won four of the past six matches in all competitions but haven’t lost away from home in over two months.

Birmingham won’t be intimidated by Newcastle’s recent form. They are unbeaten in their past eighteen matches in all competitions, having not tasted defeat since Shrewsbury got the better of them in a five-goal thriller at the end of November. They’ve won five and drawn one of their past six matches, making them one of England’s form teams.

Newcastle United enjoyed a very memorable match on Wednesday night when taking Arsenal apart to reach a Wembley final for the second time in just three seasons. Already two goals to the good from the first leg, Newcastle thought they’d increased their advantage when Isak smashed home in the first few minutes. Unfortunately, this was ruled out due to a marginal offside decision, but the Toon Army didn’t have to wait too long for a real celebration.

Isak was played through again and when his shot cannoned back off the woodwork it fell to Jacob Murphy, who was as delighted as anyone in the stadium to turn it into an empty net and give NUFC a three goal advantage. Any notions of an Arsenal comeback (on the 14 year anniversary of them famously throwing away a four goal lead at St James’ Park) were dispelled by a fine Dubravka save and a well-taken Gordon goal, to send Newcastle and their delirious fans to Wembley. Get in!

Birmingham were celebrating a cup run of their own this week when the blues travelled to Stevenage to take part in the EFL Trophy Quarter-Final. They left it late but an eighty third minute winner ensured a 1-0 success and a place in the semi-final.

Stat attack!

This is only the fourth time that Newcastle have drawn Birmingham in the FA Cup. The previous three all needed to be settled by a replay due to score draws away from home.

Newcastle have won two and drawn seven of our last nine visits to St Andrew’s.

Newcastle haven’t lost away to Birmingham since a league Cup tie in 2000. An early goal from Kieron Dyer put the Toon 1-0 up but a disappointing 2-1 defeat saw us exit the competition.

Memorable match

In 02/03, Sir Bobby’s Newcastle achieved a third place finish in the Premier League. Despite this, they travelled to St Andrew’s at the end of September having won only two of their first six matches in an unconvincing start to the season. Thankfully, Sir Bobby (not for the first time) was able to steady the ship and this first away win of the season helped get the campaign back on track.

The match started at a frantic pace with the Toon wasting two glorious chances to open the scoring in the first fifteen minutes. Back came Birmingham with two close efforts of their own, but when the deadlock was broken, it was Nobby Solano who cracked home a fine effort from outside the box that nestled into the bottom corner just before half-time.

Newcastle were dominant in the second half but fans would have to wait until the eighty ninth minute for nerves to be settled by Shola Ameobi. Shearer played him through on goal and although his initial effort was saved, he enjoyed a touch of good fortune when the ball bounced back off his knee and over the stranded ‘keeper to seal victory for the black and whites. Final Score: Birmingham 0-2 Newcastle

Played for both

Lee Bowyer – A controversial signing for Sir Bobby in 2003, it’s safe to say we never really saw the best of this young talent. Off the field antics and a seemingly poor attitude means his three year spell on Tyneside won’t be remembered too fondly. In fact, he’s probably best remembered for indulging in a spot of mid-match bare knuckle boxing with teammate Kieron Dyer in a bizarre incident against Aston Villa in 2005, that has gone down in Premier League history. He signed for Birmingham in 2009 after a spell at West Ham and helped them win the 2011 League Cup.

Nicky Butt enjoyed a glittering career when picking up a number of medals for Man U, before signing for the Toon as a replacement for Gary Speed in 2004. He didn’t have the best of starts to life on Tyneside and went on loan to Birmingham at the end of his first season. He returned to the Toon in 2006 and was actually booed on in a friendly at home to Villarreal but soon turned jeers into cheers with two late headed goals to salvage a 3-3 draw. He remained at the Toon until 2010, helping us return to the Premier League under Chris Hughton and was occasionally club captain for NUFC.

Obafemi Martins was something of a mystery whilst at NUFC, capable of scoring outrageous goals but frustratingly never really fulfilling his potential. Fondly remembered for wildly celebrated goals against Spurs, Villa and Middlesbrough, the manner of his departure after relegation left a sour taste in the mouth of many Toon fans.

His place in Birmingham City folklore is assured, having prodded home the winning goal for the blues in the 2011 League Cup Final whilst on loan from Rubin Kazan. His late tap-in securing a 2-1 victory at Wembley over Arsenal.

Managers

Eddie Howe after a 4-0 aggregate success over Arsenal that took Newcastle United to a Wembley Final:

“Tonight it was perfect – we were brave, we were aggressive, we were everything we wanted to be against a very good team. The players have given us everything, mentally and physically. I’m very proud to lead this team and this club. You saw the best of the city of Newcastle tonight, you saw the support for the players and the love for the players. This group of players have been magnificent. They have gone hard and given everything. I’m very proud to manage them. We have shown we can compete against any team…It’s huge. The first Wembley appearance was brilliant, it was sort of unexpected, but a club like this and where it wants to be, we need to be there regularly. We need to feel it’s not a surprise. We’re here on merit, our run’s not been easy. Look at the teams we’ve had to face; I think it’s four Premier League teams if I’m right, but we’ve done the hard yards and we’ve now got an opportunity.

Chris Davis after a 1-0 away victory over Stevenage in the EFL Trophy Quarter-Final:

“I’m putting players in that haven’t played for a little while and they’ve got to get up to speed. It’s just not possible to play at the same intensity when it looks like we’re going to play 60 games this season pretty much now. I always do it to give others an opportunity but to add legs and freshness. Bailey was excellent. His distribution was good, they were leaving him on the ball a lot but his choices were good, calm and clear and then, in the goal as a goalkeeper it’s about having big moments and he did that.”

Charity

As it is an away match, Newcastle United fans will not be collecting opposite the Gallowgate end, for the food bank. However, you can still help out and all online cash donations are very much appreciated. For further info and/or to donate to the food bank online go HERE.

The exertions of Wednesday night will probably see Eddie Howe making wholesale changes to our starting line-up against the League One table-toppers.

I think Birmingham will give us a good game but over ninety minutes, we’ll be too strong for a team two divisions beneath us. Birmingham 0-2 Newcastle.

Newcastle United upcoming matches:

Saturday 8 February – Birmingham v Newcastle (5.45pm) BBC1 and BBC iPlayer (FA Cup)

Saturday 15 February – Man City v Newcastle (3pm)

Sunday 23 February – Newcastle v Forest (2pm) Sky Sports

Wednesday 26 February – Liverpool v Newcastle (8.15pm) TNT Sports

(Weekend of Saturday 1 March –  NUFC will play in FA Cup fifth round if getting past Birmingham)

Monday 10 March – West Ham v Newcastle (8pm) Sky Sports