Newcastle v Middlesborough Premier League 11th May 2009 8pm

Newcastle v Middlesbrough - the ultimate Premiership relegation scrap

With Premier League teams that possess the talent of a top ten team but the form of a team looking Championship bound, you really could not predict what this Monday night relegation battle will bring. This is the 114th league meeting between the 2 teams from the North East and could be considered as one of the most important in both of their club histories.

Neither team should be where they are considering the club resources that they have. Especially Newcastle who have one of the best season ticket fan bases in the country as well as money in the bank to get the right players. Mike Ashley has done made some terrible management and PR mistakes, in my opinion the worst one was sacking Sam Allardyce. Big Sam was on a 3 year deal and the Geordies kept him for only 9 months. I think its quite simple: if you give Sam Allardyce 5 seasons he will get you consistently in the top 8 of the Premier League, pushing on for European football action. He’s arguably the best English manager around and I can remember as a Spurs fan feeling apprehensive about meeting the Newcastle because they were the new Bolton (!).

For Boro, Emanuel Pogatetz (knee) and Chris Riggott (ankle) will miss the game. With the level of importance that this match holds, the visitors won't be reading too much into the fact that Middlesbrough haven't lost at St James' Park since 2004.

For the Magpies, defender Steven Taylor could make the match after recovering from an ankle injury and training with the Newcastle United squad. Then of course there's no Joey Barton who was suspended for a straight red card in the latter stages of their defeat by Liverpool at Anfield. Although Shearer has insisted that he is looking forward after that incident he will surely be seething inside that Barton has made his job even harder by sidelining himself unnecessarily.

Caretaker boss Alan Shearer was quoted on the BBC football website as saying: "I am as surprised as anyone at the situation we are in. But we are in it, so we have got to face it head on and we have got to get out of it, and that's what we are trying to do. I believe we have still got enough time. I still believe we have got enough in the dressing room to get us out of this and I have got confidence in my squad."

You have to feel for any club in this position but there are other teams I believe that Boro and Newcastle are better than in the Premier League but they’ve both failed to deliver that form – it could be too little too late for them.

I reckon a draw, under 2.5 goals so football betting will be tough.