In various ways, Chelsea, Newcastle and Manchester United are all going through transitions. The trio of clubs have each hired a new head coach over the last 12 months. Eddie Howe may have arrived with his side seemingly in the greatest amount of strife, but now sees his team third in the Premier League above Manchester United and Chelsea and coming off a convincing win against the latter.
That match saw a team battling in unison to maintain an impressive press that compacted the Blues well into their own half, a team that was willing to stick up for each other when relations threatened to boil over at full-time and a group of players connected to their supporters around them and embracing every moment, as could be seen in the full-time celebrations. Each stakeholder at Newcastle United at the moment appears to be pulling in the same direction, and the team is living up to its name. It's something that is not lost on Howe.
Following the win over Chelsea, he said: "Last season was a very different one to the one we are experiencing this time around. We just want to get as many points as quickly as we can. We're enjoying the moment we're in. Everyone is together, everyone is united fighting for the same cause."
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Both Manchester United and Chelsea will still harbour ambitions to finish above the Magpies, but they still have elements of division. The latter's recent form has seen Graham Potter come under increasing pressure from a section of the fanbase, and while it could be considered premature, the Blues have now lost three consecutive matches for the first time since 2002.
The club's season has seen division since the summer; however, with the likes of Hakim Ziyech not getting the move away from the club he hoped for, Thomas Tuchel's dismissal splitting supporters and disconnection between defence and attack, seeing Chelsea struggle to regularly have a threatening attack.
Cristiano Ronaldo's future has come under plenty of scrutiny in recent months, the Portuguese internationals summer availability perhaps even leading to its own divide between Tuchel and Todd Boehly. The World Cup-bound star's latest interview has seen a claim of 'betrayal' in addition to criticism of the Red Devils and Erik ten Hag. The former Real Madrid star believes the club have tried to force him out and that he has been unwanted in the last two seasons - an interview suggesting so doesn't necessarily feel like the solution to resolve that as much as exacerbate it.
Despite a slow start, Manchester United feel like they are finding some direction for the first time in a little while, and that does not appear to have Ronaldo at the helm. That is not an opportunity for Chelsea to pounce, however.
It is not too long ago, the west London club had a forward of their own participating in an interview to vent their frustrations over their role. That did not go down well and perhaps should be a signal that the club should not look to introduce another figure with such a disposition.
Romelu Lukaku's outburst galvanised Chelsea's group of players somewhat, but it did not lead to an easy comeback for a firing striker they would have benefitted from in the latter stages of last term. His future was swiftly dealt with under the new owners, but that it was a loan move to Inter Milan means there could still be an unresolved issue awaiting.
What was clear at St James' Park was that their players, old and new, wanted to be there and wanted to win for the group. Ronaldo's interview proves what many people supposed, that he is more self-interested than happy to serve the best interests of the group. Chelsea's defeat to Newcastle should serve as a reminder to the Blues hierarchy that the dynamic of a group can propel a team beyond their means.
Put starkly, despite Ronaldo's clear goalscoring importance in 2021/22. This season has shown Manchester United are better without Ronaldo. Their win rate without the forward trebles and expected goal ratio doubles while the team runs 4km more per game. Chelsea have had to opt for short-term solutions in recent seasons but are now at the beginning of a long-term project, and the two are not necessarily cohesive.
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