Bases still loaded – Newcastle United to hit St James’ Park home run? | OneFootball

In the aftermath of the dire second-half display at Brentford by Newcastle United, I had an article (‘Bases are loaded – Newcastle United to hit home run?’) published by The Mag ahead of the Leicester match at St James’ Park.

I had just noticed/realised that we had a very unbalanced fixture schedule coming up.

Six of the next nine Newcastle United matches were at St James’ Park.

Over the course of five weeks, it really looked like what happens at St James’ Park could well set Newcastle United up for the rest of the season, or sink them…

The six (of nine) at St James’ Park over the course of five weeks were against Leicester, Brentford, Villa, Bromley, Wolves and Bournemouth.

The bases were loaded, so could Newcastle United hit this home run of winning form?

It was in no way, on paper at least, a daunting set of St James’ Park fixtures. Indeed, under Eddie Howe, Newcastle United haven’t lost to any of these six clubs at St James’ Park. The most difficult looking home fixture of the six, appeared to be Aston Villa, with Eddie Howe having won all three at SJP so far against them, NUFC scoring ten goals and conceding only one in that trio of home games v Villa.

So could we (players and fans) produce what was needed in these six St James’ Park home matches, to help provide a platform to attack the rest of the season from?

Well, the signs are positive so far, with the first two of those six SJP matches producing comprehensive victories over Leicester and Brentford (as well as the win away at Ipswich.

That Newcastle United home record in domestic competitions, these past thirty seven months:

Played 69 Won 43 Drawn 16 Lost 10

In these last 37 months since Eddie Howe came in, only seven English clubs have won at St James’ Park, they are Man City (x2), Arsenal, Cambridge, Forest, Liverpool (x3), West Ham and Brighton.

A quite incredible record really. Only four defeats at home to clubs that aren’t the easily best trio (Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool) of the last few years.

Plus, in these past 35 months and included in that record above, since 8 January 2022 (defeat to Cambridge) Newcastle United have now won all eight domestic cup matches they have played at St James’ Park, seven of them against Premier League opposition, including Man City and Chelsea.

The way the fixtures have fallen, means that this Villa match looks even more important.

NUFC drawn away first in the cup semi-final, means that after this Boxing Day game at St James’ Park, Arsenal in the cup makes it three away matches in a row against Tottenham, Man U and the Gunners, before a trio of home games against Bromley, Wolves and Bournemouth.

St James’ Park form could get us a long way and ending our 2024 St James’ Park fixtures over Aston Villa would be the perfect set up for Old Trafford on Monday.

Thursday 26 December – Newcastle v Villa (3pm) Amazon

Monday 30 December – Man U v Newcastle (8pm) Sky Sports

Saturday 4 January – Tottenham v Newcastle (12.30pm) TNT Sports

Tuesday 7 January – Arsenal v Newcastle (8pm) Sky Sports and ITV1 and ITVX (Carabao Cup)

Sunday 12 January – Newcastle v Bromley (3pm) BBC iPlayer (FA Cup)

Wednesday 15 January – Newcastle v Wolves (7.30pm) TNT Sports

Saturday 18 January – Newcastle v Bournemouth (12.30pm) TNT Sports

Saturday 25 January – Southampton v Newcastle (3pm)

Saturday 1 February – Newcastle v Fulham (3pm)

Wednesday 5 February – Newcastle v Arsenal (8pm) Sky Sports (Carabao Cup)

Saturday 15 February – Man City v Newcastle (3pm)