Champions League qualification and a Carabao Cup win were stuff of dreams for the Magpies last season. Can it get better? Will it get better? Well, we’re on the path to finding out.
Eddie Howe’s side open up the season with an away trip to Aston Villa on Saturday, with only goal difference seeing the Magpies pip Villa to Champions League qualification on the final day of last season.
It has been a tricky summer for Newcastle. While transfer activity is beginning to pick up, with Malick Thiaw and Jacob Ramsey this week joining Anthony Elanga and Aaron Ramsdale in signing for the club, the Alexander Isak saga is a dark cloud that continues to float over Howe’s squad.
But adversity can often bring togetherness, and Howe will hope to use the noise as fuel.
In a world where statistics dominate the football agenda, British gurus Opta emerged as the leading stat geeks in an increasingly crowded field. An official Premier League partnership - as well as the internet explosion - saw them become a trusted source for everything you never needed to know about the beautiful game.
Here’s how the Premier League table is predicted to finish come the end of the campaign.
1. Sunderland (20th) - 31 points
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2. Burnley (19th) - 37 points
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3. Leeds United (18th) - 37 points
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4. Wolves (17th) - 42 points
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