Papiss Cisse Has Scored Three Goals In 199 Minutes For NUFC Vs West Brom

Papiss Cisse has missed Newcastle United's last seven matches through suspension and they have won precisely none of them. In fact, they have lost them all. There is certainly a direct connection between Cisse's absence and the Magpies' alarming slide down the Premier League table - and the fact that the Senegalese forward has an incredible scoring record against West Bromwich Albion highlights the urgency by which John Carver must get him back into the side. Cisse, Newcastle's top scorer this season with 11, has put three goals past West Brom in just 199 minutes of Premier League football - meaning he has, on average, hit the back of the net every 66 minutes against the Baggies. In addition, the Magpies have won just nine points all season without their 29-year-old striker.

Newcastle host West Brom in the Premier League on Saturday, knowing that they must stop the rot of eight-consecutive defeats. They sit just two places and three points above the relegation zone, and they have scored just four goals in their last eight matches. However, Cisse is struggling to recover from treatment he received to his knee as soon as he was given a seven-match suspension for spitting at Manchester United's Jonny Evans. Yet Cisse's record against West Brom is magnificent. One of his goals came during a 2-1 victory at St James' Park in October 2012, and the other two were netted in a 3-1 win at The Hawthorns back in March of the same year.

But more than that, Cisse has been crucial to Newcastle's Premier League chances this season. In fact, so crucial has Cisse been to Newcastle€™s Premier League campaign that, in the 16 games he has not featured, the Magpies have accumulated just nine points. During his seven-game ban, they have failed to accrue even a solitary point - and now Cisse is struggling to regain fitness following treatment to his knee. In the 19 Premier League matches that Cisse has been present - scoring 11 goals in the process - John Carver€™s side have collected 26 points. That means that with Cisse in the side the Magpies average 0.56 points per match - a little more than one every other game - while with the 29-year-old the number they collect more than doubles to 1.37 points per match.

Seeing as Cisse has contributed almost a third of Newcastle€™s entire Premier League goal tally for the season (36), it is easy to see why he is so vital for the Magpies. However, the true extent of Cisse€™s importance to the Magpies has now been highlighted to a greater extent than ever. As well as averaging a goal every 92.5 minutes - he has scored 11 in 1,018 Premier League minutes this season, the highest strike rate for any player who has netted five times or more - his strikes alone have been worth 13 points to the Magpies. For all the latest NUFC News, Views and Transfers make sure to follow WhatCultureNUFC on Twitter and Facebook.