Newcastle United’s backline is unrecognisable from the one that faced West Ham on the opening day of last season. Despite taking the lead twice through Callum Wilson and Jacob Murphy, the Magpies succumbed to a 4-2 home defeat - a result that set the tone for the first half of the campaign.
After 19 games, Newcastle had conceded an astonishing 42 goals - a clear indication of where Toon chiefs needed to prioritise in the winter transfer window. Eddie Howe’s troops - reinforced by the arrival of Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn and Matt Targett - were defensively solid from January onwards, conceding 20 from their remaining 19 outings.
One freak result against Tottenham Hotspur in April contributed to half of the goals conceded in 2022. The arrival of Sven Botman for £32million further differentiates the leaky Magpies from twelve months ago to the resilient battlers now observed under Howe.
