Paul Merson: "I think Newcastle's run of four defeats on the spin is down to injuries. When they can get their best XI on the pitch they are a match for anyone but, like Everton and West Brom, if they are missing a few players they are going to struggle.
"What will be worrying for Alan Pardew, though, is the sides they have lost to; they have been beaten at home by West Ham and Swansea, got well beaten at Southampton and, although, they could have nicked the match, they lost at Stoke on Wednesday.
"Without being disrespectful, they are bottom-half teams and Alan would have looked at a lot of those games and thought: 'We are looking at seven points here, if not nine'.
"Newcastle would rather be playing Wigan than Man United but Roberto Martinez's team can play on the day. Their football can be very good and I thought they were pretty unlucky against Man City in midweek.
"However, we tend to say 'Wigan' and 'unlucky' in the same sentence a lot and if you keep being unlucky something's not right. I think they will lose again at Newcastle - but only just."
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-0
Source: Newcastle United Mad
Source: FOOTYMAD
