2022/23 has been an interesting season to say the least. Prior to the current campaign getting underway, many people’s Newcastle prediction for the Premier League season was to challenge for the European qualification spots. But with just a handful of games remaining this term, no one could have expected the Magpies to be flying as high as they are.
Following the recent 6-1 drubbing of Tottenham Hotspur at St. James’ Park, Eddie Howe’s men are now firmly in the box seat to secure a return to the UEFA Champions League for the first time in almost two decades. They are now six points clear of Spurs who are in fifth and they have a game in hand on their recently vanquished foes. Aston Villa and Liverpool are a further two and three points adrift respectively, and a seat at European football’s most elite dining table is theirs to lose. It goes without saying that there have been a number of players who have been crucial to their success.
New Signings Hit The Ground Running
Both Sven Botman and Nick Pope were brought to Tyneside last summer, and they have both been integral to Newcastle’s success. The pair have combined to form a menacing defensive unit that has conceded just 25 goals all season, the lowest in the entire league, less than title contenders Arsenal and Manchester City.
A number of players that were signed last January following the club’s Saudi-backed takeover have also shone brightly. Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimarães is being tipped for a spot in the Premier League team of the season, as is England full-back Kieran Trippier. Both arrived in January for relatively fair fees when all things are considered, and they have both proven to be worth their weight in gold.
While those men have managed to hit the ground running, one man who hadn’t had the chance was Swedish striker Alexander Isak. The former Real Sociedad man was brought in for a club record £63m last summer however, a number of injuries have kept him side-lined for much of the season. He returned to the first team fold in the winter, but it wasn’t until March that he truly found his feet. Since March 12th, he has netted six goals in eight games, and he has been more crucial than anyone to the club’s Champions League push in recent weeks.