A season-defining week could see Newcastle United take a step closer to their first trophy for almost five decades before looking for their first win in five against local rivals Sunderland in the Tyne-Wear derby.
Alan Pardew has done brilliantly to turn his Toon career around, once again, after going eight games without a victory at the start of this season to losing just two in the club’s 11 matches and winning the Barclays Premier League manager of the month following a scintillating November.
In just four days Pardew could go from hero to zero.
On Wednesday, the Magpies face Tottenham Hotspur in a Capital One Cup quarter final, which could see the Toon take a step closer to their first trophy since 1969, followed by a visit from Sunderland on Saturday lunchtime.
The League Cup was always the Magpies best chance at winning their first trophy as the bigger clubs look towards the FA Cup, European honors and battling for the title. This season is undoubtedly the club’s best chance at making their first Wembley appearance since 2000 and one which Pardew cannot afford to be complacent about.
Looking ahead to Saturday, it’s no secret the Toon boss has struggled against rivals Sunderland. Last season United’s North East rivals did the double over the Magpies and have won three consecutive derbies.
You have to go back to August 2011, during Pardew’s first full season in charge, since the Toon have defeated Sunderland. A statistic which is simply not good enough.
Tottenham, fresh from Sunday’s 2-1 win over Swansea, will have had less time to prepare for the crucial League Cup fixture than the Toon, who lost to Arsenal on Saturday, and United have already defeated Spurs 2-1 at White Hart Lane back in October.
After battling through an injury crisis, at one stage missing a dozen squad members, the Toon are now seeing players miss matches through suspensions.
In recent weeks Steven Taylor, Moussa Sissoko, as well as Mike Williamson, Jack Colback and Mehdi Abeid have been sidelined through a combination of red and cumulative yellow cards, with Cheick Tiote walking the tight rope of being a single a yellow card away from his own suspension.
The Magpies are beginning to build a reputation and currently sit second in the disciplinary table, behind Stoke City.
Dutch defender Daryl Janmaat will be missing against Spurs through suspension.
The club’s hierarchy might not prioritise cup runs but the Toon Army will be furious if Pardew picks a weakened team against Tottenham.
Pardew has begun to win around many of those who just a few weeks ago were calling for his head but he will undo all that positivity if he puts out the white flag before a ball has even been kicked.
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