Newcastle target Burnley’s leaky defence to climb Premier League table

Newcastle United return to St James’ Park on Saturday still dwelling on the frustration of dropping points against Tottenham Hotspur in midweek.

Eddie Howe’s side looked set for consecutive wins before Tottenham claimed a point with a stoppage-time equaliser.

The draw followed an encouraging weekend victory at Everton, which ended Newcastle’s poor away run.

Newcastle remain outside the top half of the table but could make immediate progress with a win.

Their recent record at St James’ Park offers further optimism, with the team unbeaten in seven home fixtures and consistently efficient against sides in the bottom half.

Burnley arrive on Tyneside in the midst of a five-match losing streak and with confidence draining after another narrow defeat in midweek.

Scott Parker’s team were beaten 1-0 by Crystal Palace and again struggled to generate an attacking threat, a recurring problem during their difficult run.

Burnley have won only once in their last seven away matches and have conceded more goals on the road than any other Premier League side.

Their current desperation means they are unlikely to approach this match passively, as even a draw could offer a lifeline in their fight against relegation.

The visitors’ last league victory at St James’ Park was almost five decades ago, but their only recent success here was in the League Cup in 2021.

Newcastle’s home fixtures against promoted teams have been an effective source of points under Howe, with six wins from their last seven games in that category.

The defensive issues that surfaced in stoppage time against Tottenham will still concern Howe, particularly given the number of goals they have conceded late in games this season.

Newcastle also need to convert pressure into goals more reliably, as they have allowed matches to drift despite controlling territory and possession.

A controlled, assertive performance should be enough to put them back in the top half, although they are unlikely to be granted an easy afternoon.