After an excellent performance & well-deserved point versus Champions Liverpool to end 2020 on a high, Newcastle now face 3rd-placed Leicester to try & kickstart 2021 the right way with another good result at St. James' Park in Sunday's 14.15 kick off.

A great performance in goal from Karl Darlow, in front of watching England manager Gareth Southgate, and defensive displays from Fabian Schar, Fede Fernandez, Ciaran Clark, Matt Ritchie and a revitalized DeAndre Yedlin, who has stepped back into the side with particular aplomb against The Reds and Man City, stopped Liverpool scoring for the first time in The Premier League this season.

Yet it was by no mean's an ultra-defensive performance from Steve Bruce's side who carried a threat throughout with Joelinton supporting Callum Wilson, who forced an early save from Allison, before a late Ciaran Clark header almost won all 3 points:

As against Man City, it was the energy and quality of Matty Longstaff in Newcastle's midfield that stood out and added something extra to The Magpies engine room, the fresh pair of legs an exhausted United midfield has needed this season although they will be without Isaac Hayden, who received his 5th booking of the season against Liverpool, versus Leicester leaving Bruce with a midfield selection dilemma.

Assuming Matty Longstaff retains his midfield place, will he paired with his brother Sean, or will Bruce give the place back in the side to JonJo Shelvey?

As the stats show and Matty's are only from 3 games, Sean Longstaff has been a dependable player for Newcastle this season, back to his best at times notably against Everton and Chelsea at home, although he was at fault for giving possession away leading to goals at Southampton & Leeds against high-pressing teams, while Shelvey is way ahead of both Longstaff brothers in terms of forward passing as that is his game.

Bruce's approach to the match will determine the selection. Pairing the Longstaff brothers together would provide the extra energy and defensive cover while Shelvey's inclusion alongside Matty would provide more attacking thrust yet the Newcastle Head Coach could be tempted to play all three midfielders with Sean in a hard-running no. 10 role behind Callum Wilson in a 4-2-3-1 formation that reaped dividends on occasion last season and would unleash the elder Longstaff's ability to strike a ball and score goals.

Alan Shearer said on Match of the Day on Wednesday that he would like Newcastle to sign a midfielder in January with the legs to join Wilson when Newcastle are attacking yet freed from his defensive shackles, Sean Longstaff could provide that for the team:

Leicester City are riding high again in 2020/21 in 3rd position in The Premier League after tailing off at the end of last season and missing out in The Champions League yet will be determined not to let a Top 4 place slip this year while Newcastle will be hoping to avenge the 0-3 mauling last New Year's Day that got 2020 off to an awful start.

Rodgers has discounted any title talk and a repeat of the Foxes 2015/6 success saying:

"Our targets won't change. For me I am always honest and our thinking is if we can have European football again next season at this stage of the team's development, that would be great success for us.
"With all due respect... Manchester City and Liverpool, these are fantastic teams full of experienced players who have been building for a number of years, so we are not at that level.

while he backed his opposite number Steve Bruce, like so many in the football industry:

"I think from what I see of Steve, he has looked to organise them in a way that doesn't expose them. The times – even when Rafa (Benitez) was there – they did expose themselves, they conceded goals.
"There is a huge expectation at Newcastle. It is a big club and another one of those clubs where you have to win, but you've got to win in a certain way and that is always important in terms of their expectations.
"I think how Steve has managed it in the time he has been there, it was never going to be an easy job but I am pretty sure where they are in table and the points total is as good as what they've had in the last few years at this stage.
"This is a guy who has played in teams that played good football so he will always want to go down that route, but he also knows winning and staying in the league is important.
"The longer he is there I am sure he will gradually build the team and get the type of players in he would like to."

Newcastle will have to watch out for Harvey Barnes who is in a rich vein of form and scoring for fun as well as the ever-dangerous Jamie Vardy and NUFC old boy Ayoze Perez, who is appearing more in a Foxes shirt of late after early season absences.

Steve Bruce explained in his press conference just how badly Newcastle have been affected by the Covid-19 ourbreak at the club last year saying,

"Its alarming how fast 2 cases can become 6 can become 12 then 18..."

before expanding on how he is trying to make Newcastle more expansive:

Bruce said he aimed "To keep nudging Newcastle forward in 2021" and the evidence of two Cup Quarter-Finals in 2020 and 19 points from 15 games going into the New Year, which is Newcastle's best Premier League points total for 5 years after 15 matches, shows he is slowly but surely achieving that progress but there is absolutely no room for complacency. As Al Pacino said memorably in 'Any Given Sunday', "Life, like football, is a game of inches.". FHWTL. Prediction - Newcastle 2 Leicester 1