Newcastle United will begin their preparations for the 2022-23 Premier League campaign with a friendly against National League outfit Gateshead on Saturday afternoon.
The Magpies will open their new league season at home to Nottingham Forest on August 6, while Gateshead will begin their 2022-23 National League campaign away to Dagenham & Redbridge on the same afternoon.
Match preview
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Newcastle had been favourites to be relegated from the Premier League due to their struggles in the first half of the 2021-22 season, but they enjoyed an excellent second half of the campaign under Eddie Howe, with the team eventually finishing in 11th spot in the table.
The Magpies, who have become one of the richest clubs in world football due to their recent takeover, will be looking to push towards the top seven next term, and they have already made moves in this summer's transfer window, bringing in Nick Pope and Sven Botman for close to £45m.
A loan deal for Matt Targett has also become permanent, while there is expected to be plenty more movement in the coming weeks, as Newcastle look to flex their financial muscles and put together a squad capable of comfortably finishing in the top half of the division next term.
Howe's side will take on 1860 Munich, Mainz 05, Benfica and Atalanta BC in their four friendlies after this one before playing their final pre-season game of the summer against Athletic Bilbao on July 29.
The Magpies will then open their new Premier League season against Forest on August 6 before travelling to Brighton & Hove Albion ahead of a home fixture against the champions Manchester City.
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Gateshead, meanwhile, are preparing for life in the National League, having secured promotion from the National League North last term, finishing as the champions with 94 points.
The Tynesiders, who have former Newcastle defender Mike Williamson as their player-manager, have a busy pre-season schedule, with six friendlies in the diary this month.
Indeed, the fifth-tier outfit will face Dunston UTS, Spennymoor Town, Hebburn Town, Darlington and Harrogate Town ahead of their opening league match of the campaign against Dagenham on August 6.
Gateshead have already been busy this summer in terms of incomings, with Tom Allan, Daniel Jarvis, Kenton Richardson, Lewis Knight and Dan Langley arriving.
Allan and Langley have been allowed to join from Newcastle Under-23s, with the former arriving on a permanent basis, while the latter is due to spend the 2022-23 campaign on loan at the National League side.
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Team News
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Kieran Trippier, Pope and Botman were all back at Newcastle's training base on Wednesday following their international commitments in June, and the trio are in line to play some minutes this weekend.
Bruno Guimaraes, Emil Krafth and Miguel Almiron are also now back with the squad, so head coach Howe will have a strong group of players to choose from on Saturday afternoon.
It is likely that two different XIs will take to the field for each half, with Chris Wood potentially leading the attack from the start, while Jonjo Shelvey and Joe Willock could feature in midfield from the first whistle
As for Gateshead, player-manager Williamson could feature in the first XI, with the National League outfit currently short of central defenders.
There will be debutants for the away side on Saturday, with Richardson, Jarvis and Knight all in line for spots in the starting side.
Knight could be joined in the final third of the field by Adam Campbell, while Luke Williams and Allan might play as the two wide players in a 4-2-2 formation.
Newcastle United possible starting lineup:
Pope; Manquillo, Botman, Burn, Targett; S Longstaff, Shelvey, Willock; Saint-Maximin, Wood, J Murphy
Gateshead possible starting lineup:
Montgomery; Richardson, Williamson, Storey, Wombwell; Allan, Jarvis, Forbes, Williams; Campbell, Knight
We say: Newcastle United 3-0 Gateshead
It is always difficult to know exactly what to expect from pre-season matches, particularly in early July, and neither manager will be too concerned with the final result here. Newcastle's quality should shine through, though, and we are expecting the Magpies to win this match in comfortable fashion.
Matt Law
