Newcastle United play Bournemouth at St James' Park on Saturday afternoon two weeks after a controversial draw against Crystal Palace at home preceded the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II last Thursday which meant all Premier League fixtures in England were cancelled including The Magpies' game at West Ham last Sunday.

Tributes will be paid to The Queen across English football and The Premier League this weekend with the national anthem played before games, a minute's applause on 70 minutes to mark the late Monarch's 70-year reign and managers will be encouraged to wear suits and lead their players out, who will be wearing black armbands.

The break due to the Queen's death means the teams have had a weekend off of rest & recuperation and after a week of training this week and should return raring to go especially Newcastle, whose 25-man squad was confirmed yesterday:

The Magpies made a new signing in the intermim, announcing goalkeeper Loris Karius' arrival at the club following Martin Dubravka's loan to Man United and an injury to Karl Darlow:

Experienced German Karius who played 39 times in the Premier League when at Liverpool and never conceded against Newcastle in those games will be straight on the bench at Bournemouth as Nick Pope's back-up with the England goalkeeper starting life at St James' Park superbly and having a real chance of catching Three Lions' manager Gareth Southgate's eye with Jordan Pickford sidelined with an injury for a month.

Eddie Howe faces his former club, Bournemouth, for the first time since he was relegated with The Cherries at the end of the 2019/20 season but like Howe the South Coast club bounced back and were promoted under the guidance of former Newcastle midfielder Scott Parker in 2021/22 but dispensed with his services after 4 games following comments made about a lack of backing after the 9-0 loss to Liverpool:

Gary O'Neil has been in temporary charge of The Cherries and has won 4 points from 6 and is among the favourites to take permanent charge of Bournemouth but has stiff competition with the experienced Sam Allardyce and Sean Dyche also in the running amid reports that the club is being lined up for a sale to American owners which would put exactly half of the 20 Premier League clubs in United States' hands.

After a 0-0 draw with Wolves, Bournemouth's last game before the weekend off due to the Queen was an impressive 3-2 win at fellow promoted side Notts Forest to put The Cherries on seven points the same as The Magpies after six matches played, to put that 9-0 at Liverpool out of their system that was Scott Parker's last match in charge:

It was a game that was also memorable for a notable VAR incident but for an almost unique incident in The Premier League when the world's best referee Michael Oliver was summoned to the screen by VAR Graham Scott after awarding a penalty against Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly for handball but stuck to his original decision & the spot kick.

Lets hope more referees follow Oliver's example and have the courage of their own convictions as its become all too predictable that when an on-pitch referee is called to the monitor to 'review' his decision, it means he will change his mind on the guidance of the VAR but with horrendous being made in the VAR room at Stockley Park, officials would do well to back their own instincts rather than the advice of Lee Mason & co.

Everyone connected with Newcastle is still smarting after the horrendous decision made by Greater Manchester-dwelling former whistler Mason, whose 'error' in denying a perfectly good goal robbed Newcastle of a deserved win and all three points in a tight game against Crystal Palace and not for the first time this season have the referees and VAR denied Newcastle a positive results and all three points:

Mason has been stood down from Premier League action this week but it was the second time in a week that he had denied Newcastle on-pitch justice after failing to award Sean Longstaff a penalty in the Wolves game that might also have given Newcastle an early lead in the game and all three points which would see The Magpies at least in 6th position and higher with other injustices corrected in the 6 games so far.

I've written about the dodgy decisions and clear conspiracy against Newcastle and other clubs like West Ham who threaten the hegemony of the 'Big Six' at length in a separate blog so please check that out when its published soon yet Eddie Howe is not alone in not being happy at Newcastle's current points total & believing that Newcastle should have far more:

In his pre-match presser, Eddie Howe began his press conference paying tribute to Her Majesty the Queen and how football can play its part in a fitting send off for her:

And he chose to keep tight-lipped about injuries to key players when asked if Callum Wilson, Bruno Guimaraes and Allan Saint-Maximin will be fit enough to play against his former side against whom he would love - and Newcastle need - all three points.

HoweAy The Lads!

Prediction - Newcastle United 3 Bournemouth 0

Potential Line-Ups: