An intense FA Cup North East derby is about to take place, with Championship side Newland hosting Premier League rivals Newcastle. This city rivalry is destined to be a clash of fire and brimstone regardless of the level of the match. Newland are known for their offense at home, and are expected to achieve a 2.5 goal handicap advantage against an injury-riddled Newcastle. (myTV SUPER broadcasts this exciting match live on Saturday night at 8:45pm)
Once in the doldrums, New Zealand have been on a steady rise in recent years, returning to the Championship last season and staying at the top of the table this season, continuing to show improvement. Although the Black Cats don't have any star players in the team, 18-year-old midfielder Zudy Binningham's outstanding performance has driven the whole team, while striker Jaques Chillers has scored 12 goals in the league this season and is in hot form, and they are even sharper at home, with 6 of their last 8 home matches scoring 3 or more goals, and a strong desire to attack.
Despite Newcastle being above Newlands in the hierarchy, the team has a serious injury problem that has affected key players including star goalkeeper Nick Purby, Colin Wilson, Jebbia, Zur Verloc, Jaeger and Mephie. This explains their poor record of only 1 draw and 3 losses in their last 4 official matches.
