Newcastle United are back at St James’ Park on Saturday.
A 3pm kick-off sees them take on Leicester City.
It will be a first away game in charge for Ruud van Nistelrooy.
The Foxes having a mini new manager bounce so far from two home matches, a 3-1 win over West Ham and then Sunday saw Leicester 2-0 down with four minutes remaining, before 97 year old (well, 37 year old, turns 38 in January) Jamie Vardy scored one and then got an assist to grab an unlikely draw against Brighton.
From a Newcastle United perspective, I have just noticed/realised that we have a very unbalanced fixture schedule coming up.
Six of the next nine NUFC matches are at St James’ Park, which would then become seven of the next ten at SJP, if United defeat Brentford and the semi-final draw gives Newcastle the first leg at home.
Over the course of five weeks, it really looks like what happens at St James’ Park could well set Newcastle United up for the rest of the season, or sink them…
The six (which could become seven) home games in the next five weeks (see schedule below) are against Leicester, Brentford, Villa, Bromley, Wolves and Bournemouth. If there was a Carabao Cup first leg at home, that would come in the midweek before Bromley in the FA Cup, with the second leg in the first midweek in February.
The bases are loaded, so can Newcastle United hit this home run of winning form?
It is in no way, on paper at least, a daunting set of St James’ Park fixtures. Indeed, under Eddie Howe, Newcastle United haven’t lost to any of these six clubs at St James’ Park. The most difficult looking home fixture of the six, would appear to be Aston Villa, with Eddie Howe having won all three at SJP so far against them, NUFC scoring ten goals and conceding only one.
The power of the home crowd and the way the players can react so positively to it, was seen to (near) perfect effect last Wednesday. A brilliant performance against league leaders Liverpool and Newcastle United could/should have won in my opinion. The crowd as magnificent as the players that night.
Can we (players and fans) recreate those levels on a regular basis, starting with what looks these next five pivotal weeks?
That Newcastle United home record in domestic competitions, these past thirty seven months:
Played 67 Won 41 Drawn 16 Lost 10
In these last 37 months since Eddie Howe came in, only seven English clubs have won at St James’ Park, they are Man City (x2), Arsenal, Cambridge, Forest, Liverpool (x3), West Ham and Brighton.
A quite incredible record really. Only four defeats at home to clubs that aren’t the easily best trio (Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool) of the last few years.
Plus, in these past 35 months and included in that record above, since 8 January 2022 (defeat to Cambridge) Newcastle United have won all seven domestic cup matches they have played at St James’ Park, six of them against Premier League opposition, including Man City and Chelsea.
Obviously, Eddie Howe and his Newcastle United players will have to play well on a regular basis, but in all of these next six home matches, the bookies will make NUFC strong favourites.
Reality as well, is that none of the trio of away matches in these next five weeks are impossible either.
Ipswich haven’t won a single match at home this season, only one win in all competitions, their defeats including losing to AFC Wimbledon.
Whilst both Man U and Tottenham are having seasons at least as up and down as Newcastle United’s. The only game Ipswich have won all season was at Spurs, whilst a new manager is making zero difference at Old Trafford, as Man U continue to struggle and lost at home to Forest yesterday.
Yes, I know consistency is the word on everyone’s lips at the moment.
However, the fact remains that at St James’ Park this season, Eddie Howe’s side have deservedly won against both Arsenal and Chelsea, whilst getting draws and great performances against both Man City and Liverpool.
Those four clubs are the quartet at the top of the Premier League and look pretty certain to be the four there at the end of the season.
All is not lost at Newcastle United, certainly not at St James’ Park, far from it.
The opportunity is there for sure to get this season properly progressing in the right direction, it is now down to the players and fans to make it happen.
Newcastle United upcoming matches confirmed to end of January 2025:
Saturday 14 December – Newcastle v Leicester (3pm)
Wednesday 18 December – Newcastle v Brentford (7.45pm) Sky Sports+ (Carabao Cup)
Saturday 21 December – Ipswich v Newcastle (3pm)
Thursday 26 December – Newcastle v Villa (3pm) Amazon
Monday 30 December – Man U v Newcastle (8pm) Sky Sports
Saturday 4 January – Tottenham v Newcastle (12.30pm) TNT Sports
Sunday 12 January – Newcastle v Bromley (3pm) BBC iPlayer (FA Cup)
Wednesday 15 January – Newcastle v Wolves (7.30pm) TNT Sports
Saturday 18 January – Newcastle v Bournemouth (12.30pm) TNT Sports