Key Takeaways
- Newcastle have lost five straight matches in all competitions after beating Chelsea last month.
- The club sits eight points clear of the relegation zone with four games remaining.
- Eddie Howe’s side face Brighton, Nottingham Forest, West Ham and Fulham in their final fixtures.
Newcastle United players celebrated wildly after beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last month. Malick Thiaw raised his fist in the air. Assistant boss Jason Tindall hugged defender Kieran Trippier. Anthony Elanga jumped on the back of William Osula. The squad took photos in the away dressing room to mark a rare victory on the road.
Manager Eddie Howe said that winning gives you confidence. Those words now seem like a distant memory.
Since that triumph in London, Newcastle have lost five games on the bounce. They fell to Barcelona in Europe. They then lost to Sunderland, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and Arsenal.
Howe has now faced questions about whether he looks over his shoulder at the table. His team sits in 14th place. They are eight points above the bottom three. There are only four matches left to play.
However, Newcastle have lost nine of their last twelve league games. This raises a serious question. Have they done enough to stay up? Or could they still get dragged into a relegation fight?
Against Arsenal last Saturday, the team did not look like one heading for the second tier. They conceded an early goal but refused to collapse. The home supporters at Emirates Stadium grew nervous as the match wore on.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta looked visibly relieved on the touchline when a Newcastle substitute missed a late chance to equalise.
Yet Newcastle lacked goals at one end and made errors at the other. These problems have troubled them for weeks.
Club captain Bruno Guimaraes said the display showed what the team is capable of. He admitted this season has not been good enough. He wants to save the campaign by securing European football next year.
The fans are unhappy. The players share that pain. They must improve quickly.
Newcastle cannot afford to relax. Their final four opponents all have strong reasons to win.
Brighton visit St James’ Park on Saturday. They want a top-six finish. Then Newcastle travel to Nottingham Forest, who are fighting to stay up. After that, they host West Ham, who sit near the bottom. The season ends with a trip to Fulham, who still hope for a European spot.
Newcastle have 42 points already. They likely need only five more to be mathematically safe. This is true even if Tottenham win all their games and the teams below Newcastle also pick up points.
But Tottenham have struggled in 2025. They only got their first league win of the year against Wolves last week. Ange Postecoglou’s side still face tough matches against Aston Villa, Chelsea and Everton.
The league table is extremely tight. Newcastle are as close to sixth place as they are to 18th.
Howe knows his team needs a victory to lift the mood. He said too many games have passed without a win. He wants to beat Brighton next week and change the feeling around the club.