Newcastle
OPINION Newcastle United fans – Tensed up with this uncertain team faith
Only 17 days to go now for Newcastle United fans until the end of the season.
Having relegated one club last weekend, on Saturday we could see Eddie Howe’s team effectively relegate another.
It is two from three to be relegated along with Sheffield United and as Luton (home to Everton) and Forest (away at Sheffield United) have very winnable games, defeat for Burnley against Newcastle could well see Kompany’s men left with a near impossible task..
As the table shows below, after this weekend only two games each to play for the three remaining relegation contenders and if all the results go wrong for them, Burnley could be four and five points respectively adrift of their rivals.
When you factor in that Burnley are away at Spurs in their final away match (before Forest at home on final day of the season), Saturday is arguably a must win for the Turf Moor side and for sure they will be throwing absolutely everything at it.
This is how the Premier League table looks on Thursday (2 May 2024) morning:
Burnley aren’t in such a desperate position for no reason, they have only won five Premier League games all season and three of those were against Sheffield United(x2) and Luton. The only other victories against Brentford at home and Fulham away.
However…
This is where I am appealing for no more stupidity from any Newcastle United fans.
It has become increasingly embarrassing as the season has gone on, the completely over the top reaction from some when any result and/or performance doesn’t go our way.
The aftermath of the Palace match was appalling from a fair number of Newcastle United fans. Fair enough, much of this was from desperate attention seekers blatantly just trying to get clicks and views for their YouTube channels and suchlike, however, there were obviously a number of ‘normal’ Newcastle United fans doing the same.
Saying stuff like ‘total disgrace’, complete embarrassment’, ‘shouldn’t be losing to these’, ‘players not trying’ and even calling into question Eddie Howe’s position.
Quite ridiculous.
There seems from some Newcastle United fans a total refusal to accept that at times there is another team on the pitch who can make it difficult for you. That the manager can do all the preparation in the work, that players go out on the pitch really up for the game, yet sometimes it just doesn’t happen. For these fans there seems to be no in between, everything is either brilliant or terrible. Palace played well, Newcastle didn’t, yet still United denied a stonewall penalty with 15 minutes to go which almost certainly would have meant at least a point from the game.
For some Newcastle United fans, it is a question of a total shambles whenever NUFC lose, rather than constructive criticism and an acceptance that sometime this is just how it is. That any Premier League team can beat another one one on their day, sometimes you just have to suck it up and give some credit to the opposition, whilst relying on Eddie Howe and his players to bounce back. Plus of course the reality is that as has been the case for most of these past seven months, at Palace there were double figures missing in terms of unavailable Newcastle players.
Which brings me back to this coming Saturday.
If Newcastle United fail to win, or god forbid, actually lose. It doesn’t necessarily mean that Newcastle United were a ‘disgrace’ or an ’embarrassment’, nor would it be the worst result in the history of football and neither would it mean Eddie Howe has to be sacked.
Burnley have had a terrible season and they deserve to be where they are. I have watched them plenty times and they seem to play quite well a lot of the time but find ways to lose and the quality just isn’t quite there at both ends of the pitch, especially once on a bad run and confidence is shattered as well. The facts are that only Luton and Sheff Utd have conceded more than the 70 Burnley have leaked, whilst only Everton (37) and Sheff Utd (34) have scored less than the 38 Burnley have managed.
However, when you dig deeper, this fixture looks a lot more difficult than it might have appeared a couple of months ago.
In their opening 27 Premier League matches, Burnley lost a massive 20 of them and won only three. In the last nine of that run they lost seven and drew two.
Then sometimes happens when things look hopeless, suddenly a late season run develops out of nowhere. The last two months and eight PL matches have seen only one defeat, a (trademark) scruffy Everton 1-0 win over Burnley at Goodison.
They might have only managed to beat Sheffield United and Brentford in this recent run BUT Kompany’s side have also failed to beat West Ham, Chelsea, Wolves, Brighton and Man U. Indeed, whilst their keeper made a few excellent saves, Burnley were arguably unlucky not to win at Old Trafford last weekend.
So, if Newcastle United end up joining that list of teams who have failed to beat Burnley these past two months, don’t start crying on that it is the end of the world and suddenly everybody at NUFC is letting us down.
The reality as well is that I think every chance that by late Monday night we may well have seen Man U lose at Palace and Chelsea pick up three points at best in their two London derbies. Which would mean ‘only’ a point at Turf Moor could well see Newcastle United in sixth place, ahead of Man U on goal difference and very possibly three points and a far better GD ahead of Chelsea, with only three games to play each.
Obviously I would be gutted if Newcastle United don’t win, but then that as the same every match! However, less than three points and I won’t be crying my eyes out and demanding everybody looks at me to see how upset and angry I am.
These are all the remaining fixtures for the three clubs fighting for Premier League top six:
Thursday 2 May – Chelsea v Tottenham
Saturday 4 May – Burnley v Newcastle
Sunday 5 May – Chelsea v West Ham
Monday 6 May – Crystal Palace v Man U
Saturday 11 May – Newcastle v Brighton, Forest v Chelsea
Sunday 12 May – Man U v Arsenal
Wednesday 15 May – Man U v Newcastle, Brighton v Chelsea
Sunday 19 May – Brentford v Newcastle, Brighton v Man U, Chelsea v Bournemouth
It is a simple equation, if Newcastle United win their last four matches, they are guaranteed sixth place.
If Eddie Howe’s team draw against Man U and win the other three, then I think that would also ensure sixth place, as I can’t see Man U winning all of their other three games and even if Chelsea won all their five, NUFC would surely have a better goal difference.
Whilst if Newcastle United could beat Man U and win at least two of the other three, then that would also I believe give us sixth. As Chelsea aren’t winning all of their last five matches.
