Well, the build up to this one has been well and truly overtaken by the news that Pardew is
about to leave. As that still hasn’t actually been completed it’s difficult to jump in and start making any forecasts on what happens next. So we’ll leave that for a later date. However, whilst those talks are ongoing, United have placed John Carver and Steve Stone in charge of the first team.
It’s Burnley at home next and after an unforeseen win over Everton lifting us on to 26 points, looking at the state of the bottom of the league, you’d expect us to find the remaining 3 or 4 wins needed to stay up, no matter who’s in charge for the final 19 games.
Burnley are a poor side. They’re nowhere near good enough to be in the Premier League, yet under Pardew’s guidance, they gave us a bit of a run around and should have beaten us a few weeks ago at their place.
They’ll be inspired by a superb comeback to claim a point at Manchester City on Sunday, 
but, that was only their 3rd draw, the others coming at Leicester (2-2) and Crystal Palace (0-0). They have managed 1 win, at Stoke (2-1) but lost their other 5 away games. Ashley Barnes and Danny Ings both have 4 goals apiece.
They’re free of suspensions but Michael Duff, Stephen Ward and Matty Taylor are injury concerns for The Clarets.
Team News
In what is now becoming an increasingly ‘selective’ and carefully handpicked process, SKY,
oops, I mean the FA and Premier league have decided to issue a 3 game ban to Papiss Cisse for his elbow on Seamus Coleman. For the record, I have no issue at all with Cisse being suspended, however, having watched Shelvey and Sterling on Monday go unpunished, it’s clear that there is no consistency to the disciplinary process. Quite why we didn’t appeal and delay the ban until Cisse was able to serve it whilst being away on international duty in the African Cup of Nations is beyond me.
Davide Santon, Curtis good and Jonas Gutierrez got run outs in a practice match with 
Gateshead today, which is good news for all concerned. Cisse’s absence is likely to see Perez revert back to the solo striker role allowing either Cabella or Ameobi to play wide.
It was strange to see Williamson return to the side, that one really went unexplained and now that Pardew is away, it will likely remain that way.
Injured
Ryan Taylor – Knee – No return date
Siem De Jong – Groin – No return date
Gabriel Obertan – Groin – No return date
Tim Krul – Ankle – Chelsea (a) 10th January
Rob Elliot – Ankle – Chelsea (a) 10th January
Mehdi Abeid – Toe – Chelsea (a) 10th January
Rolando Aarons – Hamstring – Southampton (h) 17th January
Suspended
Papiss Cisse – 3 games
Possible Team (4-2-3-1)
1.Jak Alnwick: 2. Daryl Janmaat, 5. Mike Williamson, 6. Fabricio Coloccini (Capt), 3. Paul Dummett: 4.Cheick Tiote, 8. Jack Colback: 7. Yoan Gouffran. 10. Moussa Sissoko 11. Remy Cabella: 9 Ayoze Perez.
Subs
Freddie Woodman, Davide Santon, Vurnon Anita, Emmanuel Riviere, Sammy Ameobi, Steven Taylor, Adam Armstrong
Referee: Mike Dean
History vs Burnley
This is our first competitive fixture vs Burnley at SJP since 1982-83 a fixture that we won 3-0 thanks to goals from Chris Waddle, Kevin Keegan and Imre Varadi. We would miss out on promotion, finishing 5th in Division 2 whilst Burnley were relegated finishing 2nd bottom. Attendance, 20,961
An older game for Mags of a certain vintage took place at Hillsbrough where the 2 sides met in an FA cup semi final. This looks absolutely brilliant as Supermac fires us to Wembley. Check out the scenes of our supporters going ballistic behind the goal. Brilliant!!!
Burnley Fanzines
Vital Burnley – Click here
Predictions
Either a 2-0 to us, or one of those hideous Newcastle United performances that we know so well, like Reading (h) in 2012/13
Danerman
Ings and Barnes
CHRIS BETTS – Follow Chris at @tfbettsy1892
Glad people enjoy the old footage, the sight of the Newcastle fans celebrating on the Spion Kop is absolutely wonderful. I’d never seen the full highlights before, but it looked fantastic. The McFaul chant, the United chant, the howay the lads chant. Much better than what we knock out now
Superb video, thanks for that. Canny midfield : Hibbitt Cassidy Terry Mac & Jinky Jim. Good luck to JC today who deserves our complete support. Haway the Lads.
That was great. You could just feel the intensity from the crowd build up from the start of the second half. To think that Kennedy, McDermott and Clark all went on to win European Cup medals.
Love the chanting of “Supermac”, “McFaul” and Howay The Lads. The general intensity from that Kop is something else.
Fabulous,thats cheered me up no end on this miserable afternoon.Take a 2-0 tomorrow@ wish JC and SS all the best come 3pm.
Magic memories. Havnt seen the highlights for 40 years! Never really appreciated how good a game it was and how well I am McFaul played. I was somewhere near the back left hand side of the kop end at the start and finished up near the front by the end of the game! Could you imagine the noise if it had been covered. A very happy day and great memories. Many thanks for this post.
The second goal shows the difference between a ‘long ball’ as often played by our centre backs and a long pass by a player who could drop the ball on a sixpence (ok 5p piece for the younger readers).
Hibbett is probably up with the best long passers I have ever seen and Supermac knew exactly where the ball would go once it was in front of him so he could time his run perfectly; few defenders around in those days could catch Bandy Mac in full sprint.
That goal still bring goose bumps even after 40 odd years.
tell me about it 🙂 I was behind the goal in the Burnley end but up in the seats when Supermac scored those 2 goals. Man what a feeling, goosebumps big time !!
Footage of 1974 semi final marvellous in all respects thanks for putting it up . Epic support . I was 9 living in Scotland at the time and could only see it on snowy black and white Grampian TV . I accept completely accusations of sentimentalism and I know the game has been taken from us and we aren’t getting it back any time soon , but no ‘ give me your poor and we’ll piss on them Wonga direct zero hours contract dot com @ sjp ‘ would be nice . What there has been over 40 years is a lot of pap but also some real joy in being a mag , and endeavour , if mainly fruitless . I can count 6 occasions under pardew ,mainly travelling , and I don’t remember feeling like my team and club was reduced to the lowest common denominator and turned to tat prior to Ashley for all earlier ownerships faults . That is the point , you pays yer money etc . As with governments , we get what we deserve . Not a political point , just fact . Half a problem solved is not the problem solved . Onwards