There are reports that interim manager John Carver has banned players from accessing the internet in a desperate attempt to prevent negative media coverage from getting into their heads and, I guess, getting them relegated. This sounds so pointless as no matter where you go everyone is talking about how wretched the Magpies season has been and ultimately that a club being managed horribly do actually deserve to drop into the Championship.

Fortunately for Newcastle one team (well, three) have been even worse than them and only a win against Manchester United will keep them from relegation. That team is of course Steve Bruce’s Hull. Only a few weeks ago Hull looked likely to avoid the drop after Queens Park Rangers, Burnley and Leicester City seemed to have run out of time to save themselves, but the Foxes masterminded a truly great escape drawing one more team down into the battle.

Newcastle will have to hope that Hull can’t beat the 20 times domestic champions or that they themselves claim a final day victory over West Ham. With Sam Allardyce fighting to save his job you’d expect him to insist his players battle for a win over the Magpies once again as the Hammers won 1-0 when the two teams met earlier in the season. Likewise Manchester United have had a decent season but are definitely nowhere near the form of the Sir Alex Ferguson years, though they did beat Hull 3-0 when the teams met at Old Trafford back in November. The outcome is still very much up in the air with final day drama a mouth-watering certainty.

Hull’s last few fixtures which included meetings with Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs left most football fans sure that the Tigers would drop out of the Premier League but with just United to go, Bruce’s men still have a fighting chance - though their fate is not in their hands. Newcastle had a much easier run and yet they have squandered numerous chances to pick up vital points.

John Carver became interim manager in January when Alan Pardew jumped ship to manage Crystal Palace. The Eagles have flourished while Newcastle haven’t won a match since late February. That is an run in their last ten games which makes it no wonder that they are hanging so close to the bottom three. The Magpies looked as if they were starting to fight back after finally registering a 1-1 draw against West Bromwich Albion but they quickly went back to their losing ways when they met relegated QPR last weekend.

At this point it is hard to believe that Newcastle haven’t just given up and switched off. I’m sure that more than a few of their players wish this season was over already so they could leave the disappointment behind and start enjoying their summer break. But with supporters more angry than ever the team really need to give their all in the final game which also happens to be at St James’ Park. Anything less is sure to cause a riot!

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