Newcastle United will return to the Champions League in 2025/26, despite a final day defeat to Everton that left the outcome in the balance and shredded nerves inside St. James’ Park. A truly remarkable season had its fairytale ending – eventually.
United were poor on the day, though, and lost to a solitary Carlos Alcaraz header – but that is why a league campaign is decided over 38 games – United had done just enough, with goal difference being the deciding factor.
Here are our five key takeaways from the game:
5th place is the least United deserved for their performances across two thirds of the season. From Brentford away onwards, United rediscovered the team it used to be/wanted to be, and have been combative, effervescent, and have shown plenty of quality when they’ve needed too to dig out results and hammer teams in equal measure.
The second half of United’s season has been exemplary – a trophy in the bag; Champions League football secured, Tonali imperious, Bruno captain fantastic, Tino morphing into a world class LB, and the coaching staff squeezing every ounce out of the players at their disposal setting the platform for the likes of Jacob Murphy to have their best seasons of their career.
But, this summer is huge. Add the right players and I think we could have a better season next time out than we have this time around, fail to back the manager and we may well stand still yet again.
1. **Result of the game shows where improvement is needed**
Whilst I’m delighted that United have qualified for the Champions League, Sunday’s result and performance shows where Newcastle still need to improve moving forward.
There isn’t anywhere near enough quality depth in the squad to change the flow of a turgid game against a side who were just happy to be on the same pitch without relegation troubles after years of stinking out the Premier League.
United will have to find a way to break teams down like that next season following Champions League games – as that is the blueprint many defensive minded, lacking in quality sides will try to impose on us next season.
Make no bones about it, Everton are the equivalent of a turd that won’t flush and here’s hoping they have a hilariously bad first season in their new stadium next season.
1. **Making a mockery many pre-season predictions**
Many pundits preseason predictions had United struggling, barely finishing in the top half, well a huge slice of humble pie will need to be eaten by them in the close season, especially Phil McNulty of the BBC.
He claimed Villa would soar like the proverbial eagle despite Champions League football and finish strongly in the league and Newcastle would struggle…well, United, and Howe, made a mockery of his predictions as he got swept away in the cult of Emery.
Mark my words, McNulty will be the first to try to ship Howe off to England post World Cup when Tuchel fails to win it – and we as fans shouldn’t let him get away with it as the familiar journalistic pattern will emerge. His preseason predictions were laughable and I’m delighted we’ve proven him so, so wrong.
Sob on the Holte and all that, as hilariously the season finished with Aston Villa Football Club losing their heads and writing an official complaint to the Premier League over the referee in charge of their game at Man Utd.
Despite breaking European financial rules by having a 98% wages to turnover ratio, Villa did their best Mark-Clattenburg-employed-by-Nottingham-Forest impression by not having the humility to just accept that you win some, you lose some, and across 38 games you generally end up where your performances dictate in the league table.
Hopefully, Newcastle are ready and waiting to take advantage of PSR stricken clubs like Villa this summer (as we were taken advantage of last summer) as they’re considered to be mere pennies away from breaching financial rules. I’d take Jacob Ramsey (as a backup) in a heartbeat.
1. **Rest, reset, and go again**
It’s amazing to think that United have been without Sven Botman for most of the season, Lewis Hall for the last three months, Isak for crucial games, without a back striker full stop (sorry Callum), our manager for three games and Gordon has been banned and out of sorts for the last few matches too – and, yet, United have a trophy in the cabinet and Champions League qualification in the bag for 2025/26 – stunning.
It’s an old cliche but Hollywood writers would reject this script because it is too unrealistic. United were in twelfth in December and going nowhere very quickly. It simply is an incredible feat of football management from Eddie Howe.
The lads should enjoy their summers but know that they will have two or three new faces waiting for them when the get back to preseason training in mid-July, as this must be the moment United kick-on. Despite no European football at all this season, United have still progressed but without it (and without improving the first team) I think this is the limits of what United can achieve.
So, as the curtain closes on the best season of my lifetime, a season in which United have become major trophy winners again, it’s important that we smile and enjoy it – and then get ready for what could be an even better time next season!
Keep the faith. HWTL