Saturday afternoon’s visitors to St James’ are Watford. Can Hughton gain a record of being the first permanent Newcastle manager to start with 5 wins, or will the Magpies’ luck run out in the 13^th game since Watford’s last away win against the Toon?

Interested observers will include former players who have represented both clubs, notably John Barnes, recently sacked as Tranmere manager, and George Reilly. In a week when Newcastle have drawn Plymouth away in the FA Cup, Reilly will be noted as having had his ear bitten off whilst working as a bricklayer, a Plymouth fan being responsible having held a grudge since Reilly’s FA Cup semi-final goal 20 years earlier.

Pitting his wits against Hughton will be Malky Mackay, a fringe player for Watford’s last visit before stepping into the role of first team coach less than a month later, in January 2007. That game will also be remembered for Obafemi Martins finally setting the crowd alight, with a header and fierce shot.

Mackay finally took over the hot seat in the close season, having had a caretaker spell the previous November. This term, the club are 1 point behind a playoff place, with only 5 defeats. 3 of those however, have been heavy, leaking 3 away to Palace, 4 at home to Cardiff and 5 at the Hawthorns. They did win on the last visit to the Tyne-Tees region, 1-0 at Boro.

Aiming to keep the Magpies at bay will be England U21 goalkeeper, Scott Loach. In front of him, still missing , although back in training, is captain, American Jay de Merit who had an unfortunate accident with a contact lens.

We expect the defence to be made of Mariappa, a substitute on Watford’s last visit, one club man and Lloyd Doyley. Journeyman Jon Harley has had an uninspiring career since providing the cross for Poyet to score the winner against Newcastle in the 2000 FA Cup semi-final. Also joining them will be a Man Utd loanee, former team mate of Danny Simpson and alleged former Toon target, Craig Cathcart.

Midfield gives the opportunity for home supporters to run the rule over another Toon target, England U21 and nother Man Utd loanee, Tom Cleverly. Each of his away goals this season has come as part of a Watford win, two of them being the only goal of the match.

Cleverley will be joined by two teenage prospects, the first normally a defender, Lee Hodson. The other is on loan from Arsenal, yet another England U21, Henri Lansbury. Experience comes in the shape of John Eustace, who last played here for Stoke on the night that Keegan’s second coming was announced.

Despite record signing, Nathan Ellington not starting recently, The Hornets’ strikers certainly carry a sting, in the shape of top scorer, Danny Graham. Gateshead born, Graham started his senior career with Boro, having also been on loan to Darlington and been fairly prolific at Carlisle before moving South. Curiously, he has not scored a senior goal in December in 5 years in the game.

The other man to watch is Icelandic international Heidar Helguson, on loan from QPR. Having scored 2 goals on his Watford debut as a substituted substitute, he has yet to play the full 90 minutes, but boasts 3 starts and 5 goals. None of those goals have yet been scored away from Vicarage Road. His first appearance at SJP was a 1-0 defeat for Watford in March 2000, but he drew here with Fulham in 2005 as well as scoring the opener in a 2-1 Fulham win at Craven Cottage in February 2007.

That Helguson goal was against Steve Harper, hoping to recover from a back strain which saw him miss the 2^nd half against Swansea. Tim Krul is on standby, and has yet to concede a league goal for Newcastle in his 2 substitute appearances.

The meanest defence in the league pick themselves nowadays, with Simpson, Steve Taylor, Coloccini and Enrique automatic starters if fit. Of those, Enrique is the only one yet to score this season, but with the reliable central core, has pushed forward more this year.

Midfield again choose themselves to a large extent. Alan Smith has made the holding role his own and has a last chance to avoid going 5 years without a home league goal to his name. Jonas finally proved last weekend that he can cross, whilst top scorer Nolan can not be left out. Under most threat is Guthrie with set piece specialist Ryan Taylor aiming to be fit. New signing Pancrate is an option, but judging by his efforts last week, would be Superman to last a whole game.

Up front are a range of options, with Harewood doing well during the first half last week, and Lovenkrands also impressive. However, Andy Carroll could return, with Ameobi also on his way back to fitness, and Ranger always a threat, albeit as yet unrealised.

Referee for the afternoon is Wharfedale based primary school Head Teacher, Jonathan Moss. He has controversially refereed Newcastle twice this season, a defeat away to Blackpool and the pre-season bloodbath at Huddersfield. Apparently brought up on Tyneside, he is reputed to be a Sunderland supporter. The two occasions he has refereed the Hornets have both resulted in Watford wins, one home and one away last season.

Odds will certainly favour a home win, even though the referee might not. Watford have yet to win from behind this season, and have not won away since 17^th October. The last 5 matches they have been involved in have all been home wins, all by a 2 to 5 goal margin. The prediction for this weekend is 4-1 – or a highly controversial performance from Moss, with Watford’s financial gloom to spread to the field.

Newcastle home to Watford:

P15 W8 D5 L2 F21 A12

2^nd tier

P9 W6 D1 L2 F15 A8

Cup

P2 W0 D2 L0 F0 A0

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