Significant Champions League boost for Newcastle United | OneFootball

Things are looking ever more positive when it comes to Newcastle United and the push for Champions League football.

The Premier League season ends exactly seven weeks today and so it means with each passing round of matches now, the results are ever more key to how the final places will end up.

Newcastle United are in the very last Premier League fixture to be played this weekend.

Eddie Howe and his players facing Leicester City away on Monday night.

Playing last can have its advantages and disadvantages.

If other results go for you, then a little less pressure and players more able to play their normal game. Plus of course the massive carrot being that if you win, then you know that you will gain significant ground against others.

If the results go against you, then the opposite. More pressure and you need to win just to stand still.

Fair to say that after the five games on Saturday, it really couldn’t have gone much better for Newcastle United.

Of the five teams competing for Champions League places, four of them dropped points.

Everton 1 Arsenal 1

Mikel Arteta says (again and again and again) that it was never a penalty when Everton equalised, does he ever accept a decision that goes against him? It might seem unlikely that Newcastle could catch them, but fact is that whilst United are 12 points behind Arsenal, Eddie Howe’s side have two games in hand on the Gunners, so effectively the gap could be only six points. Whilst Newcastle have already beaten Arsenal three times this season and have them to play at the Emirates, whilst Arsenal still have to play at Anfield. Unlikely BUT now a very small possibility that Newcastle could catch Arsenal.

Palace 2 Brighton 1

Another defeat for Brighton and with Newcastle now three points clear of the Seagulls AND with two games in hand, United now shouldn’t finish below them, not if having serious top five aspirations.

Ipswich 1 Wolves 2

Not instantly making you think of benefit to Newcastle United but after leading in this game, Ipswich could have closed to within six points of fourth bottom Wolves. Instead, Ipswich are now 12 points from safety and so it means that they will very likely be relegated by the time they travel to St James’ Park at the end of the month, having nothing to play for.

West Ham 2 Bournemouth 2

Surely the final blow that ends any top five hopes for Bournemouth. They are five points adrift of Newcastle and have played two games more.

Villa 2 Forest 1

A game where Newcastle couldn’t lose. Yes, Villa can turn it on at times and have gone a point ahead of Newcastle, but I think overall a good result for NUFC  with two games in hand on Villa. If Newcastle win these next three matches against Leicester, Man U and Palace, they will be a minimum of five points ahead of Unai Emery’s team when travelling to Villa Park on 19 April.

As for Forest, if Newcastle win these next three matches and Nuno’s side fail to win at home to Everton, then United would be guaranteed to be above Forest by end of business on Wednesday 16 April.

This is how the table looks on Sunday morning (6 April 2025):

Still to play this weekend…

Sunday 6 April

Brentford v Chelsea – The last time Chelsea won a game against a team outside the current bottom seven, was back on 15 December 2024. That was home to Brentford. However, I think every reason to hope that the Bees can get at least a draw. We saw how good they are on Wednesday night at SJP and  before losing to Newcastle, Brentford had won three and only lost one of their last five PL matches.

Fulham v Liverpool – Fulham are another team to fade away from Champions League contention, losing three of their last five PL matches. Liverpool not in great form seemingly as they edge towards the title, I think this could end in a draw.

Spurs v Southampton – Two really poor teams and anything could happen here. You think Spurs should win this but I wouldn’t put a penny on them doing so.

Man U v Man City – Man City have only beaten Spurs and Leicester in their last five PL matches, losing two and drawing against Brighton. Without Haaland, I think every chance Man U can do Newcastle a favour. Even when Man City have had a far better side, at times Man U still troubling them. I can see Pep dropping a couple of points here against a limited Man U who will raise their game for this derby.