Alan Pardew’s depleted defensive unit has been bolstered by the impending return to fitness of Steven Taylor and Massadio Haidara. The duo are expected to be back in contention for selection for the Magpies next league game against Liverpool, at a time when Newcastle desperately need all their defenders fit and available.
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After a start to the season in which the Newcastle defence have conceded more goals than all but two of their Premier League rivals, fans of football betting will know having Taylor and Haidara back could well be the catalyst to the team tightening up their defence.
Taylor has not played since the opening day of the season, when the defender was sent off during a forgettable trip to Manchester City. After serving his ban, Taylor was then kept on the sidelines by a hamstring strain that ruled him out of contention for the last month.
The centre-back could be set to return to the line-up for the visit of Liverpool after the international break, against one of the league’s most in-form attacking units, where Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez will be looking to take advantage of one of the Premier League’s worst defences.
Haidara could also be welcomed back against the Reds after recovering from the knee injury that plagued the left-back throughout the summer. The French youngster has not made an appearance yet this season, and he rejoins a team that has become associated with their leaky back line in the live football commentary.
But it hasn’t been all good news, with young defender, Curtis Good, suffering a setback in his lengthy lay-off, picking up a fresh hamstring problem that will have taken some of the shine away from a pretty positive week for Pardew in terms of injuries.