Following back-to-back winners in midweek, SlipsTips shares a Bet Builder double ahead of Newcastle’s showdown with Sunderland on Sunday.
Newcastle vs Sunderland, Sunday (12:00)
The Tyne-Wear derby takes centre stage in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, as bitter rivals Newcastle and Sunderland go head-to-head at St James' Park.
Eddie Howe's side will be looking to bounce back from a bruising 7-2 defeat at Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday, a result that ended the Magpies' European campaign with an 8-3 aggregate loss.
Sunderland, meanwhile, will be aiming to return to winning ways after a 1-0 home defeat to Brighton in their last Premier League outing.
Joelinton To Commit 1+ Foul
I’m more than happy to get what will be a player-based Bet Builder double underway by backing Joelinton to commit at least one foul. The tough-tackling Brazilian is always at the heart of most midfield battles, and there’s every reason to expect the same when Sunderland visit St James’ Park on Sunday. Moreover, Joelinton is averaging 2.09 fouls per game in the Premier League this season, being reprimanded at least once in 20 of his 23 appearances so far. Across that 23-game sample, the Magpies midfielder has racked up 8 yellow cards, plus a further 6 cautions across other competitions – the latest coming in midweek against Barcelona.
So in a fixture where sparks are almost guaranteed to fly, Joelinton looks well placed to make a minimum of one misdemeanour, if not more.
Granit Xhaka To Commit 1+ Foul
Somewhat surprisingly, Granit Xhaka’s foul output has been unusually low in recent months, which is exactly why we can craft this Bet Builder double at a backable price. That said, if there’s ever a game where Xhaka is likely to reignite his combative streak, it’s at St James’ Park on Sunday – so I’m willing to look past his recent drought. Earlier in the season, Xhaka was committing his fair share of fouls, and while he hasn’t done as much recently, he remains prone to it – his current average in the top-flight this term is 0.67 per game.
It’s also worth remembering that Xhaka got on the wrong side of the referee in this season’s reverse fixture. With a direct battle against the aforementioned Joelinton likely, I fancy the Sunderland skipper to end his barren run and commit at least one foul. The Brazilian has been drawing an average of 1.52 fouls per game this season, which should provide plenty of opportunities for Xhaka to be penalised in what promises to be a heated encounter at St James’ Park on Sunday.
Together, the above two selections will bring about a 4/5 double that holds plenty of appeal.
Recommended Bet
- Joelinton To Commit 1+ Foul
- Granit Xhaka To Commit 1+ Foul
- Bet Builder – 4/5 (bet365)
Grant Heaney, aka SlipsTips, is a Freelance Football and Darts Writer with over six years experience. Grant has written football and darts betting content for some of the biggest betting websites and newspapers in the UK. He is a Falkirk season ticket holder and avid watcher of football and darts, whether it be UK-based or further afield. You can find all of his tips on X @SlipsTips
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