Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe could only smirk back in August whether the Magpies’ early run of fixtures was going to be classed as “season defining”.
Back then, Newcastle faced the long trip to Bournemouth, a tough Carabao Cup second round assignment at Nottingham Forest and then a home game against Tottenham Hotspur and got through unscathed. But despite the fact those long summer nights were still very much in place and the weather was a tad warmer than the bitter cold winter evenings we’ve endured this week, Howe got the question and said that everything even then felt critical.
Since then, a series of fixture runs has kept hopes alive on all three fronts. However, few of those periods can match the intensity of the next 21 days.
On the back of a 2023/24 season that yielded no trophies and no European football, the words of CEO Darren Eales had emphasised how important it would be to attack on the domestic front with no heavy schedules in store due to continental competition.
And we have now arrived at what could be a key month in the club’s entire history if things go well. Between now and Wembley, Newcastle have work to do. They face a stiff examination in the two other domestic competitions after finding themselves under pressure due to a dip in form.
Indeed, on either side of cup success stories in the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup, Newcastle has stuttered in the Premier League with three defeats out of four to Bournemouth, Fulham, and Man City. After recovering from a December slump, in which they were languishing in 12th place at one stage, Newcastle had climbed back up to fourth place. After losing to City at the Etihad, they now sit in seventh position in the Premier League.
Of course, the race for the Champions League is wide open still, with six points separating the Magpies from third-placed Nottingham Forest. But it really is crunch time for Eddie Howe and co between now and that walk down Olympic Way.
Here’s a rundown of the diary ahead.
Nottingham Forest (h), Premier League, February 23, Sky Sports, 2pm
Newcastle will be nine points behind Forest with 12 games left if they repeat their Boxing Day surrender from last season. Since then Forest have trebled their threat of an old boy coming back to St James’ Park to haunt them with Elliot Anderson and Matz Sels joining the obvious dangerman Chris Wood.
Wood couldn’t hit a barn door for most of his time in a Newcastle shirt, but the 33-year-old has netted 32 goals in the Premier League for Forest. For all that – and Wood’s hat-trick last season – Newcastle dumped Forest out of the Carabao Cup on penalties and won at the City Ground 3-1 earlier in the season.
Are we overthinking this one? Newcastle are more than capable of three points on Sunday.
Liverpool (a), Premier League, February 26, TNT Sports, 8.15pm
Well, this one really doesn’t get any tougher for Newcastle. Trips to Anfield have been tough enough for the Magpies down the years, with just one win in the Premier League on the board since 1994.
But even for Howe and his staff, they have endured some pain at the hands of the Reds. It’s three defeats in a row against Liverpool and Arne Slot’s side will see this game as another step towards the title.
The fact that it will serve as a dress rehearsal for Wembley merely adds to the spice. The psychological impact of winning or losing will undoubtedly have a bearing on the Carabao Cup final showpiece, too.
Brighton (h), FA Cup fifth round, March 2, ITV, 1.45pm
Out of this batch of fixtures, I personally see this one as one of the most important. If defeats do unfold in the Premier League, the form book can be recovered later in the campaign.
But the visit of the Seagulls offers a pathway to the FA Cup last eight and the chance to keep the season alive until spring as well as keeping the path to Wembley clear. Remember, beat Brighton, and Newcastle could be just 90 minutes from a second Wembley date in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
This was one is a big opportunity.
(Image: Chronicle Live)
West Ham (a), Premier League, March 10, Sky Sports, 8pm
The visit to the London Stadium could have been timed better in a week that will end at Wembley. Liverpool will also get a couple of days extra preparation too.
If Newcastle are serious about Champions League qualification though beating a Graham Potter side that have spluttered since he was appointed is a must.
(Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool (n), Carabao Cup final, March 16, Sky Sports, 4.30pm
And so on to the big day. Newcastle are already the underdogs but will take almost 33,000 fans with them all holding on to the same dream.
Cup finals are one-off affairs but Liverpool have a rich experience of winning them. Liverpool’s last taste of losing the League Cup final came in 2016 when they lost on penalties to Man City and they’ve won it twice in the last three years.
Newcastle’s trophy drought has to end sometime though doesn’t it?
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