The mood on Tyneside has been sour since the defeat to Sunderland but don't write this season off yet
Bruno Guimaraes gestures
Newcastle United's Bruno Guimaraes is expected to return to action against Crystal Palace(Image: Getty Images)
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The boos around St James' Park following the 2-1 defeat to Sunderland spoke volumes. Newcastle United fans are not happy and are in desperate need of something to get behind in the final weeks of the season.
A challenging campaign is threatening to collapse in a dreadfully disappointing manner unless Eddie Howe and his players can conjure up some inspiration before May is out.
A place in the Europa League is probably the best they can hope for - the Champions League feels a step too far now - but at worst, it could be mid-table mediocrity which, as CEO David Hopkinson has made clear, is well below the expected standard.
But look past the doom and gloom of the past fortnight, and there is a brighter picture. We need to see evidence instantly when United return to action against Crystal Palace on April 12, but there should be plenty to encourage the faithful that this season is not over yet.
It will not be a top-four finish and silverware, but here are five reasons why the campaign may yet finish with a flourish.
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Back to full strength
Back? Have Newcastle ever been at full strength this season? Injuries are an inevitable part of any campaign, but United have suffered more than most, which has been amplified by their crippling schedule. It's something they need to become better at dealing with if they want compete at the highest level, but they're a long way off that right now.
However, you cannot underestimate the importance of having Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, Fabian Schar and Lewis Miley back in the squad for the run-in. All will add huge quality to Howe's options and mean Newcastle are more able to face the challenges that lie ahead.
Bigger form picture
With three weeks to stew over that derby defeat to Sunderland, on the back of a humiliating defeat to Barcelona, it's inevitable that their has been something of a downward spiral of morale.
There's no doubt the performance against Sunderland and in the second half in the Nou Camp was not acceptable, and to be fair, no one in the United camp has said anything different.
But let's take a step back. In March, Newcastle beat Man United with 10-men and pulled off a 1-0 win at Chelsea without Tonali and Guimaraes. It's only six weeks since they stuck six past Qarabag in Azerbaijan - a side which drew 2-2 with Chelsea on the same ground.
They were seconds away from a 1-0 win over Barcelona in the first-leg of their Champions League last-16 clash, and could well have led at the break in Spain having been the better team for the first 45 minutes.
The Sunderland setback wasn't the first time they have let themselves down on home soil, but it would be a wrong to suggest United are bang out of form.
Newcastle players celebrate as Anthony Gordon opens scoring vs Chelsea
Newcastle beat Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge in March(Image: Iain Buist/Chronicle Live)
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Underdogs 'advantage'
This Newcastle side don't like being the favourites. They thrive on the chance to bloody the noses of those perceived to be higher up the pecking order than themselves.
It perhaps explains why they always seem to lift their game against the so-called elite sides, and why after dominating Barcelona for 135 minutes, they were bullied by Sunderland.
So let's not underplay the fact that they're clearly the outsiders to win a place in Europe next season. There are seven sides better placed than Howe's men, and he will use that to his advantage in the dressing room. Let the comeback commence.
Favourable fixtures
After pointing out United perform better against the more talented sides, it might be something of a contradiction to suggest they have somewhat favourable remaining fixtures.
Newcastle only have Arsenal away to face of the elite sides, with winnable home games with Brighton, West Ham and Bournemouth alongside trips to Crystal Palace, Forest and Fulham.
It's all well and good on paper, but if they want to be considered as one of the top six or seven sides in the division then they must prove it in these final games. These are the matches regular European contenders win.
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe looks on during training
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe will get valuable time on the training pitch
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Schedule relief
OK, so we would all love a game this weekend, but the truth is this enforced break is probably the best thing for United right now. There are no excuses for batteries not to be fully recharged after an intense six-month period which has seen United clock up 51 games.
Even the internationals will have an extra week to recover thanks to this weekend's FA Cup schedule.
After that, it's one game per week until the end of the season, with the possible exception of Arsenal away should they progress in the FA Cup.
It gives Howe precious time on the training ground, where he is at his best, to work with his players and have the impact we have seen so many times before.