On Sunday, Newcastle United achieved a significant milestone in their pursuit of Champions League qualification by defeating Chelsea 2-0.
Newcastle secured a significant three points and ascended to third in the Premier League table as a result of goals from Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali. Chelsea maintained their fifth-place position; however, they are only one goal clear of sixth-placed Aston Villa on goal difference.
The Blues will also be without Nicolas Jackson in their final two games after the striker was shown a straight red card against Newcastle at St James’ Park.
Arsenal, who are currently in second place, will be Newcastle’s opponent at the Emirates Stadium next week. On the concluding day, Newcastle will host Everton.
Newcastle is currently in third place in the Premier League table with 66 points, one point clear of Manchester City in fourth and three ahead of Chelsea and Aston Villa in fifth and sixth place, respectively.
Nottingham Forest is currently ranked seventh with 62 points, following their 2-2 stalemate with Leicester City on Sunday. In comparison to Manchester City’s +24, Chelsea’s +19, Aston Villa’s +7, and Forest’s +12, Newcastle has a +23 goal difference.
Newcastle are expected to conclude the season with a superior goal difference to both Forest and Villa, granting them an additional advantage in the Champions League competition, unless an extraordinary turnaround occurs.
What actions must Newcastle United take to ensure their participation in the Champions League?
Put simply, victory. Regardless of the actions of their opponents, the team would be guaranteed Champions League participation in the upcoming season with an additional three points from their final two games.
A victory over Arsenal next weekend would secure Champions League football for the upcoming season and place them in second place in the Premier League table on the final day of the season.
Villa will play Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, while Man City will play Fulham away and Bournemouth at home in their final two games. Man United will also face Chelsea next weekend, and Nottingham Forest will play West Ham United before they meet on the final day of the season.
The possibility of Conference League football next season would be eliminated if they were to earn an additional point in their final two games, as it would ensure a minimum of a top-six finish.
While it will be nerve-wracking, Newcastle has the potential to qualify for the Champions League without accumulating any additional points in their final two matches.
In order for that to occur, Villa and Chelsea would need to lose three points in their final two games, and the outcome would be determined by goal difference. Nottingham Forest would almost undoubtedly finish below Newcastle if they lose at least two points in their final two games.
Eddie Howe’s statement regarding the Champions League matchup
In the aftermath of Chelsea’s victory, Newcastle’s head coach, Eddie Howe, stated, “It is a triumphant victory for us.” We were aware of the significance prior to the contest. The situation is extremely close, which has strengthened our position. However, it remains extremely tight, and we have two games in which we must maintain our concentration and strive to accumulate as many points as possible.
This means that at least one of Newcastle’s Champions League qualification adversaries is guaranteed to lose points, necessitating only one additional victory.
“There are still two games remaining, and there are numerous potential surprises that could occur in the near future.”
“I believe that we cannot afford to remain passive and contemplate the situation in that manner. We must advance, contemplate our upcoming match, and ensure that we are adequately prepared for Arsenal, as it is an exceptionally challenging match. We are aware of the close competition among our opponents, and we are not assuming anything.”
“I have to say, the players have been magnificent in that respect for a long, long time, but we go again next week.”
Leave a Reply