Newcastle United route to finish in top half – These five things ABSOLUTELY have to happen | OneFootball

Newcastle United saved arguably their best this season at St James Park in the Premier League for last.

A dominant display against Arsenal ending with a 2-0 win which could and should have been even greater in terms of scoreline.

The predictable defeats against Liverpool and Man City looked to have almost certainly ended Newcastle’s hopes of a top half finish.

However, with Eddie Howe and his players having ended the season with seven wins from their final eight games at St James Park, it has given a chance of what would be a remarkable top ten finish. It would actually be more than remarkable considering the situation Eddie Howe walked into back in November.

The current Premier League table is below, along with a list of the 13 Premier League matches that still have to be played.

Then there is my explanation of what has to happen, if Newcastle United are indeed going to end the season in the top half of the Premier League.

This is the Premier League table on Thursday (19 May 2022) morning, with 13 PL matches still to play out:

Thursday 19 May

Everton v Crystal Palace (7.45)

Aston Villa v Burnley (8pm)

Chelsea v Leicester (8pm)

Sunday 22 May (all 4pm kick-offs)

Arsenal v Everton

Brentford v Leeds

Brighton v West Ham

Burnley v Newcastle

Chelsea v Watford

Crystal Palace v Man Utd

Leicester v Southampton

Liverpool v Wolves

Man City v Aston Villa

Norwich v Tottenham

So for Newcastle United to finish in the top half of the table we need the following to happen…

Firstly, Newcastle HAVE to win at Burnley on Sunday.

Secondly, we then also need at least four of the following five things to happen…

Leicester to lose away to Chelsea AND at home to Southampton.

Brighton to lose at home to West Ham.

Brentford to lose or draw at home to Leeds.

Crystal Palace to fail to win either away at Everton OR home to Man Utd.

Aston Villa to fail to win at home to Burnley OR away at Man City.

***Newcastle United have a far worse goal difference than any of these five clubs who can also finish top ten, so going level on points with any of them wouldn’t be enough.