After a number of years without any great success, the last few seasons have provided cause for some optimism at Newcastle United.
The Saudi Arabian takeover of Newcastle in 2021 provided finance, a new management and fresh direction for the club. Newcastle enjoyed a sensational season in 2022/23 reaching the final of the Carabao Cup, eventually finishing the 2022/23 season in 4th place.
This was the highest final position Newcastle had achieved for many years, and it qualified the club for the European Champions League for the first time since the 2002/03 season.
Despite some claims of over-achievement in 2022/23, prospects for the current Premiership season were high. In Eddie Howe, Newcastle United have a popular and highly rated manager. The Saudi investment has been significant and has attracted a raft of new, talented players to the club.
Talented international footballers such as Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimarães seemed poised to make a significant contribution to the club. Fans and commentators alike were optimistic for Newcastle, despite the addition of the European Champions League to their schedule, and the potential for success in domestic cup competitions.
For those eager to support the team in their upcoming fixtures, whether in the Premier League or in the FA Cup, you can use a ticket search engine to easily compare Newcastle United ticket prices. Alternatively, you can try your luck and buy tickets directly from the club’s website (if you have a club membership). In order to learn more about Newcastle tickets and prices, click here.
Can Newcastle Still Make the Top 4?
The current Premiership season is just over the half-way mark.
Newcastle are currently in 9th place in the table, after a difficult first half of the season.
This saw Newcastle suffer an unprecedented injury crisis, with at least 7 first-team players unavailable due to injury. The club was eliminated from the Champions League and Carabao Cup competitions.
In the run up to the Christmas period, a busy schedule saw Newcastle losing some 8 of the last 12 games. Notwithstanding the difficulties Newcastle have faced, if unavailable players return from injury, and performances can be improved, it is still very much possible for the club to make the top 4.
The New Year fixtures included league games against two top clubs, Liverpool and Manchester City, and an FA Cup match against their oldest rivals, Sunderland.
Newcastle lost 4-2 in the fixture against Liverpool, nevertheless received much praise for the quality of their performance.
A subsequent away win against Sunderland in the FA Cup, suggests that Newcastle’s fortunes for 2023 might be about to improve.
With an increasingly rejuvenated squad, some better performances and a boost to their confidence, Newcastle United might well challenge for the top 4 place for a successive year.
At our best last season, we averaged 2 points per game. Overall 1.86ppg.
we currently have 29 pts from 21 games, 17 left to play. If we got 34 pts then we would total 63, enough for 6th most seasons. 4th normally requires at least 70 pts which would require over 40 pts. That would mean dropping no more than 10 pts in the remaining games eg winning all but 5. Doable, possible, but highly unlikely without significant investment which FFP prohibits.
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