Newcastle Beat QPR 2 Years Ago To Stay Up - But How Do They Rate Vs The Current Team?

12. THEN: Rob Elliot - NOW: Tim Krul

In theory there should be no comparison here and Tim Krul should be miles out in front of Rob Elliot - but that is not necessarily the case. Yes Elliot stupidly managed to get himself sent off with eight minutes to go at Loftus Road after handling outside of his area to pick up a second yellow card - and that left a nervous wait for the Magpies so secure their Premier League survival - but he also made some important saves against QPR in May 2013.

Krul is undoubtedly a better all-round goalkeeper when he is at his best - but he is nowhere near that right now. The last couple of performances have been far-more encouraging, and Krul effectively kept the score to just 3-0 against Leicester City, but during the Magpies' dreadful run the Dutchman has been average at best for the most part. Yes he has an awful defence in front of him, but that back four are struggling for confidence in their keeper right now. Elliot came into the Magpies team at a time when he was really needed in 2012-13 and helped them get the points to stay up. Now Krul must do the same. Verdict: A point for each - 1-1. Normally Krul would walk this one but, despite Elliot's red card two years ago, the Dutchman needs a huge display to reassert himself as by far and away the best goalkeeper at Newcastle United.