WOUNDED Newcastle clash with AC Milan in their must-win Champions League contest at St James’ Park on Wednesday.
SunSport betting experts have previewed the contest, and carefully selected our best bets, tips and exclusive sign-up bonuses for the showdown.
Already have these accounts? Don’t worry, we’ve got loads more terrific deals with our partners.
Newcastle enter the sixth and final Champions League group contest battered and bruised after a chastening few days.
Eddie Howe’s injury-stretched side suffered a 3-0 defeat to Everton before losing 4-1 against Tottenham on Sunday — results which have left them seven points outside of the top four.
The Magpies haven’t had much opportunity to rotate and look shattered ahead of this must-win tie.
Newcastle need all three points and need Borussia Dortmund to either win or secure a draw against PSG at Signal Iduna Park to qualify for the knockout stages.
AC Milan can still technically qualify, but they must beat Newcastle and hope PSG lose.
Stefano Pioli’s side arrive after a painful defeat over the weekend. AC conceded in the 95th-minute to lose 3-2 at Atalanta having twice come from behind.
Odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.
The reverse fixture ended 0-0 at the San Siro, but it looks unlikely that we’ll see another stalemate on Wednesday.
Neither side have looked defensively solid in their recent clashes with Newcastle conceding seven from two, and AC Milan letting in seven in three.
In fact an early strike could see this one go berserk with so much at stake.
No Premier League team has conceded more efforts on goal than Newcastle in the last two matches. They’ve let up 44 shots on their goal with 17 of those on target.
Only Lautaro Martinez has scored more than Olivier Giroud’s eight Serie A goals this season.
The Frenchman, 37, is averaging 2.6 shots per game in the Champions League this season, and will undoubtedly spearhead the AC Milan attack on Wednesday.
Giroud actually has a phenomenal record in this fixture. In fact he’s scored nine goals in 15 appearances – which is his second-highest goal tally against any club he’s ever faced.
It’s been a rotten few matches for Newcastle right-back Kieran Trippier.
The defender has been culpable for a couple of goals in recent games, but he still remains one of Newcastle’s most threatening players.
Trippier has created a whopping 45 chances in the Premier League this season – that’s more than double Bruno Guimaraes with 20. He’s registered eight assists in 22 appearances and we expect that tally to grow this week.
A responsible gambler is someone who:
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
*Ladbrokes. 18+ New UK+IRE Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £/€5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 4x £/€5 free bets. Free bets available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org
*Paddy Power: New Customer offer. Place a min £10 bet on Football on odds of min 2.0 (EVS), get £40 in Free Bet Builders after the qualifying bet has been settled. Rewards valid for 30 days. Only deposits via cards will qualify (Apple Pay excluded). T&Cs apply. Please Gamble Responsibly.
*Betfred. New 18+ UK customers only. Register using the promo code WELCOME40, deposit and place first bet of £10+ on Sports (cumulative Evens+) within 7 days of registration. First bet must be on Sports. £30 in Free Bets and £10 in Free Spins (50x20p) credited within 10 hours of bet settlement. Free Bet stakes are not included in any returns. Bonuses have a 7-day expiry. Payment restrictions apply. SMS verification and/or Proof of I.D and address may be required. Full T&Cs apply.
