Kevin Nolan still has an important part to play at Newcastle United, despite the face he missed the game against Wigan, manager Chris Hughton has claimed.
The midfielder had established himself as a first team regular at the club but, according to Hughton, the intensity of modern football has taken its toll and he needed a rest and the player should be fresher when he returns.
With Newcastle forced to dig deep in order to secure a draw against a Wigan side they would once have been expected to crush with ease, fans of the club could well be forgiven for being impatient in their desire to see their side return to the lofty heights they achieved under the famous reign of Kevin Keegan.
Despite not reaching these heights again just yet, newly promoted Newcastle have shown that they are a side fully capable of competing successfully in the Premier League after spending what seemed like a long season in the Championship. The Newcastle betting always suggested they’d bounce back from relegation, and they did.
However, there is still a long way before the side can once again challenge England’s best clubs on a regular basis. Indeed, a look at the football betting tips shows Newcastle are in for something of a relegation scrap this season.
Having said that, Newcastle and their fans certainly enjoy showing the footballing world that they are a top club with the most passionate of supporters and will be looking to individuals like Nolan and striker Andy Carroll to prove to their critics just how good they can be.