Newcastle United are back at St James’ Park today.
A 3pm kick-off sees Eddie Howe and his team take on Leicester City.
Looking at the fixtures, six of the next nine Newcastle United matches are at St James’ Park.
This would then become seven of the next ten at St James’ Park, if United defeat Brentford and the semi-final draw gives Newcastle the first leg at home.
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.
I thought worthwhile having this reminder for Newcastle United fans, of just how good Eddie Howe has been at St James’ Park, when playing against Premier League opposition.
That Newcastle United home record in domestic competitions against other Premier League teams, these past thirty seven months:
Played 65 Won 40 Drawn 16 Lost 9
In these last 37 months since Eddie Howe came in, only six Premier League teams have won at St James’ Park, they are Man City (x2), Arsenal, Forest, Liverpool (x3), West Ham and Brighton.
A quite incredible record really. Only three defeats at home to clubs that aren’t the easily best trio (Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool) of the last few years.
I think this is why the reaction is so extreme if/when Newcastle United lose at St James’ Park to a team they were expected to beat. It happens so rarely!
Eddie Howe is basically averaging once a year this happening, a ‘shock’ home defeat to the likes of Forest, West Ham and Brighton.
Yes, I know two of those have happened this season, but at the same time, Newcastle United have also played so well at St James’ Park against Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool. The Eddie Howe magic at St James’ Park has had a couple of setbacks this season but this isn’t a case of the home form fatally broken. The reality is as well, that in each of those three ‘shock’ home defeats to Forest, West Ham and Brighton, in the first half of all three matches it was Newcastle who were by far the best and most dominant teams, creating a lot of very good chances. Only to not take them and then get punished by goals very much against the run of play. It happens to the best of them.
As I said earlier, Eddie Howe with this record at St James’ Park against Premier League opposition the past 37 months, of 40 wins and only nine defeats in 65 home games against PL teams.
Worth comparing to Newcastle United’s record at St James’ Park against Premier League opposition in the 12 months before Eddie Howe arrived:
Played 20 Won 4 Drawn 7 Lost 9
Those defeats against Leicester, Leeds, Man City, Burnley, West Ham, Arsenal, Palace and Chelsea (x2).
The fightback starts today and with six of the next nine at St James’ Park (including the one against League Two Bromley), Eddie Howe and his Newcastle United players can get things moving in the right direction once again.
Reach the levels shown at home against the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Man City, then Leicester, Brentford, Villa, Wolves, Bournemouth (and Bromley) will really struggle to live with Newcastle United at St James’ Park.
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