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Opinion

European intervention set to boost Newcastle United

2 years ago
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Newcastle United have started the season well.

A tough set of fixtures and Eddie Howe’s players responding with some very good performances.

This has been despite injuries to key players and a seemingly never ending series of decisions by match officials (referees and VAR) going against Newcastle United.

Winning two and drawing four of the first seven matches (all competitions), only that (VERY!) late loss at Anfield seeing Newcastle lose their first game since 8 May 2022. Indeed, Newcastle United have only lost six (Man City, Spurs, Liverpool(x2), Everton and Chelsea) of their last 26 Premier League matches in a run that goes back to before Christmas 2021.

Now simply a case of turning those performances / draws into regular wins.

This process starts at West Ham on Sunday, a 2pm kick-off.

It also signals the start of some helpful European intervention for Newcastle United.

The seven clubs that are competing in Europe this season, have dropped plenty points already, overall it has been a case of far more than usual. The Premier League looking far more competitive. Man City have looked excellent BUT even they have failed to win a third (two of six) of their PL matches, whilst Liverpool have won just a third (two of six) of theirs AND needed serious help from the referee and VAR official to do so (a little more help needed in their match against Newcastle, than their Bournemouth one…).

However, this season was always going to simply get tougher and tougher for those at the top, the ones in European competition.

Starting last night, the seven English clubs competing in Europe have to play all six group games in these next two months, that is on top of another ten Premier League matches and a third round League Cup game.

West Ham have struggled so far this season with four defeats in their six Premier League matches, with only one win against Villa.

Now their European matches kick off with a game on Thursday night against FCSB, only around 64 hours after that match ends the Hammers will face Newcastle United.

Nobody pretends that this then equals a walkover for Newcastle BUT at the same time nobody can deny it doesn’t give a boost to the opposition when they have eight days between matches.

Eddie Howe has this NUFC squad super fit, their playing style has been wherever possible to press high and put the opposition under pressure, win the ball in dangerous / advanced positions and play from there.

This could prove to be a perfect set-up on Sunday for Newcastle United and even better if we get the ideal combination of West Ham picking up extra knocks / fatigue on Thursday night, whilst potentially Eddie Howe could welcome the likes of ASM and Bruno back to fitness.

Whatever happens, I think it is 100% guaranteed that there will be no sitting back from Newcastle United in this game, they will play high tempo and get at West Ham. Looking forward to it.

The above applies across the Premier League of course and all seven clubs playing in Europe are going to have to prepare for the extra pressures the mid-season World Cup is putting on the fixture schedule.

Points are going to be dropped all over the place by the usual suspects at the top, compared to usual, so then a case of which other team(s) can put together a run of form / results that could then potentially take advantage when it comes to competing for those places towards the top. The potential is definitely there for this to happen.

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