This weekend couldn’t have gone much better for Newcastle United, where our European hopes have received a welcome boost just a few days on from that damaging defeat at Crystal Palace.
With all of the weekend’s Premier League action now over, results over the past 48 hours show Eddie Howe’s Mags are the only side between fifth and ninth to pick up maximum points.
Just as we sealed a 5-1 comeback win over Sheffield Utd, Man Utd conceded late at Old Trafford in a 1-1 draw with Burnley, seeing us move just one point behind the Red Devils in sixth.
Last night we then saw Chelsea denied a stoppage-time winner at Aston Villa, meaning we also gained two points on the Blues and moved five clear of them; a much needed cushion given they have their game in hand (at home to Spurs) on Thursday night.
If that wasn’t enough, our slim hopes of catching Spurs in fifth remain in tact, as they lost 3-2 to Arsenal in Sunday’s 2pm kick-off. It’s highly unlikely we overturn the current seven point gap, but they have Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City still to come.
West Ham and Brighton’s hopes of catching us also look all but over. The Hammers have played a game more, have some tough games to come and are four points behind us, while Brighton’s 3-0 defeat at Bournemouth on Sunday leaves them nine behind Eddie Howe’s Mags.
