Not since 2006 have the Magpies earned a single point at the Etihad Stadium, but Saturday night was arguably the closest they’ve come to since then.
United fell behind as Nico O’Reilly netted before Lewis Hall equalised deservedly. Then O’Reilly scored with his head and despite sustained pressure from Eddie Howe’s men, the home side hung on for all three points.
Howe rightly focused on the positives pre-match but the reality is, hopes of qualifying for the Champions League are fading. With 11 matches to go, Newcastle sit 11th in the table - on the same number of points as a local rivals Sunderland, nine points below the top five.
In a world where statistics dominate the football agenda, British gurus Opta have 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.
Opta have predicted how the 2025-26 Premier League table will finish:
1. Wolverhampton Wanderers (20th) - 19 points
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2. Burnley (19th) - 29 points
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3. West Ham United (18th) -36 points
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4. Nottingham Forest (17th) - 40 points
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