Newcastle United looked down and out after failing to win any of their first 14 games of the season but they have just reached the 40-point mark and are only outside the top half on goal difference following Wednesday’s 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace.
The Magpies have enjoyed a fantastic turnaround under Eddie Howe in 2022, which has been massively helped by a £95million spend on five players in the January transfer window, with only Liverpool recording more points than them this year.
And after moving 15 points clear of the relegation zone with that victory over the Eagles, Newcastle defender Dan Burn insists his side “don’t want to stop” as they continue to climb the league table.
As reported by the Daily Mail, Burn said: “Well 40 is the magic number, but until it's done, we will just keep going. We don't want to stop here, we want to go as high as we can. I think it's some achievement from where we were when the ownership came in to where we are now.”
Although the Magpies have risen up the league table rapidly over the course of 2022, they are still not mathematically safe from the threat of relegation. They could only be one victory away, however, while it is now also impossible for them to finish bottom of the table.
But Howe’s side will most likely be looking in only one direction: up. Due to the nature of the Premier League this season, while the Magpies can still technically be mathematically relegated, they can also still finish as high as 6th, however unlikely that may be.
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Yet there is no doubt they will try and achieve as much as they can over their last five games, which includes three fixtures in a row against Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal sandwiched between visits to Norwich City and Burnley. Thankfully, Newcastle have practically secured their survival.
After becoming the richest club in the world back in October, the Magpies were able to splash the cash in January and signed Premier League-experienced players in Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood and Dan Burn, while Matt Targett was bought in on loan and £30m was splashed on Bruno Guimaraes.
The quintet have all played a huge part in Newcastle’s revival this season, which included a remarkable nine-game unbeaten run from December 27 to March 13. Although three successive defeats ended that purple patch, it was followed by three successive victories, all of which were at home.
The club couldn’t be in a better place right now and Magpies supporters are beginning to dream big. A top-half finish would be the icing on top of the cake this season, but the supporters will have one eye on the opening of the summer transfer window, in anticipation of who their club may sign.
Magpies co-owner Mehrdad Ghodoussi has promised that the club will be back at the right end of the top flight and competing for the Premier League title under their ownership, as well as a return to European football. Following Wednesday’s game, he took to Twitter to express his delight at reaching the 40 point mark.
He tweeted : “What can I say……40 f****** pts….so proud of this team, of this club, of this city!! We are one and we are nothing without each other!! Let’s keep this going, our journey is just beginning."
