Sale vs Newcastle Falcons Prediction: Sharks can pile on the pain for the Falcons

Friday night’s (19:45) Gallagher Premiership clash sees two northern sides battle it out at the Salford Community Stadium, as Sale play host to Newcastle Falcons. 

Read below for my Sale vs Newcastle Falcons prediction and all the latest team news and match odds. 

Rugby Union Odds

Team News 

Sale will again be without England international fly-half George Ford due to a torn quad muscle. 

Gus Warr will likely partner Rob du Preez in the half-back pairing, while Arron Reed is expected to start on the wing as he seeks his first try of the season. 

Coach Steve Diamond described Newcastle's defeat against Leicester Tigers last time out as 'unacceptable' and has promised a better display on Friday. 

Argentina international Pedro Rubiolo was on the bench last week, after returning from Rugby Championship duty, and the young lock may be handed a start. 

Sale vs Newcastle Falcons Odds

The form guide suggests Sale are strong favourites to win this game, with the Sharks 1/28 to collect the points on Friday night. 

Newcastle are bottom of the table, after the opening three matches, and are 10/1 to claim a surprise victory while the draw can be backed at 28/1. 

Handicap - Sale (-21.5) @ 10/11 

Sale are currently sixth in the Gallagher Premiership, after winning two of their opening three matches. 

The Sharks lost just once at home in the league last season and have already won twice on their own ground this term – with victories over Harlequins and Gloucester. 

Sale won last season's corresponding fixture 40-22, as they recorded a league double over the Falcons. The pair also met in a thrilling pre-season friendly in September, when the Sharks ran out 40-39 winners. 

Paul Deacon's side have looked better, from an attacking perspective, in each game and ran in five tries in the 31-27 victory over Gloucester last week. 

A big positive in that win was the form of Tom Roebuck, with the winger claiming two tries and looking to stake his claim for a England recall. 

Newcastle conceded seven tries in their 10-42 home defeat to Leicester last Saturday and the Falcons have a points-against record of 94 - the second-worst in the division. 

It's three defeats from three games for Diamond's men but the former Sale boss will demand an improved display from that loss to the Tigers. 

But Sale should have too much for the Premiership's bottom team, who lost every one of their away league matches last season and have shown little this term to suggest that record will be improved.