Chris Sutton has claimed that Newcastle's FA Cup tie with rivals Sunderland could be the catalyst for real pressure to mount on under-fire Magpies boss Eddie Howe.
While the Tyne-Wear derby would be a tasty fixture at any time, it is falling at a particularly difficult time for Howe, who is seeing his managerial position under threat after the Magpies finished bottom of their Champions League group, and sit ninth in the Premier League table, with one win in eight in all competitions.
With their Carabao Cup participation ended by Chelsea last month, the FA Cup is realistically Newcastle's only hope of silverware in the current season, and Sutton told Mail Sport's podcast It's All Kicking Off that the test against their Championship rivals is a game that Howe's side simply cannot afford to lose.