Scouse Mackems double header feels season defining

This feels huge, two games against Everton only three days apart, it could be season defining this Scouse Mackems double header for Newcastle United.

Fail to win either and it will feel like…where is this season going?

Win both and…

Victory tonight against the Scouse Mackems and you are looking at having to beat League Two Fleetwood Town to guarantee that this Newcastle United adventure in the Carabao Cup would extend at least into the first week of February 2027 when the semi-final second legs are playing.

Then if that was followed up by a win over Everton on Monday night at St James’ Park, Newcastle United could also end up top five in the Premier League if other results also went our way this weekend.

So many fine margins and sometimes these moments come along, matches that swiftly follow on from each other (though not often against the same opposition) and where you look back at them as the time when your club was sent in a certain direction, good or bad.

I look back at the 2024-25 season and whilst the three matches against them were spaced out, the three matches that Newcastle United played against Nottingham Forest proved pivotal.

Back in August 2024 we saw Newcastle United heading for an instant exit in the Carabao Cup at the City Ground against Forest with United missing first in the penalty shoot out, only to struggle through in the end. The rest is history, less than seven months later Newcastle United won their first trophy in 56 years.

That 2024-25 season, for most of it Nottingham Forest looked certainties to qualify for the Champions League, maybe even challenge for the very top spot…

Forest took the lead against Newcastle United in both Premier League matches that season but lost 3-1 at the City Ground and 4-3 at St James’ Park.

If Nottingham Forest had avoided defeat in either of those two matches against United, they would have qualified for the Champions League and Newcastle ended up seventh.

This double header against the Scouse Mackems comes on the back of a very promising second half at Crystal Palace and coincides with Matthias Jaissle starting to see some of the many injured players coming back to availability and full fitness.

By close of play on Monday I feel like it is going to be one of two extremes, either full on hope after two wins over Everton, or double defeat and misery.

It kind of sums up what being a football fan is all about, there is rarely any middle ground. Only highs and lows.