Club have now lined up a new manager ahead of facing Newcastle United

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February is proving to be a defining month for Newcastle United, and it will end with an FA Cup tie.

The Magpies are heading to Ewood Park on February 27th to take on Blackburn Rovers, having knocked out Fulham and Sunderland to advance to the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Eddie Howe‘s side are going to be backed by an incredible away support, with 7,000 Geordies heading to Lancashire. And they haven’t been asked to pay a fortune either, with Blackburn charging £20 for an adult ticket.

Those making the journey were expecting to see a former Newcastle United forward on the touchline, with Jon Dahl Tomasson currently the Blackburn Rovers manager.

However, it looks like that will have changed by the time the Magpies arrive at Ewood Park.

Blackburn lining up a new manager ahead of facing Newcastle

According to the Telegraph, Blackburn are preparing to relieve Jon Dahl Tomasson of his duties as manager. He is set to be sacked, with Rovers currently 18th in the Championship.

The Telegraph add that John Eustace is being lined up as Tomasson’s replacement, stating that he is the leading candidate to become the next head coach of Blackburn Rovers.

Eustace has been out of work since October, having been sacked by Birmingham City to make way for Wayne Rooney – who has since been sacked himself after a rotten run of results.

Now Eustace is in line to become Blackburn boss, and one of his first games in charge could be up against a Premier League side in Newcastle United.

That could mean we end up facing a very different Blackburn team, but Newcastle are more than used to taking on clubs who are hoping to experience a new manager bounce. It has already happened in the FA Cup this season, with Michael Beale getting the Sunderland job around three weeks before the Tyne-Wear derby.

The cup might be a bit of a distraction for Blackburn, but it is vital for Newcastle. Fans are dreaming of a return to Wembley, while the players are desperate for silverware after coming so close last season.