The 2022-23 season will live long in the memory of Newcastle United fans. Who knows, in years to come this could be the campaign when it all started to change for the Magpies.
After beating relegation in 2022, hopes were high for the first full season under the new ownership - but Eddie Howe and Co exceeded them all. A mixture of new signings and significant improvements from key players combined to make an unfortgettable nine monthis in the history of the club.
We've picked out some key moments in our special month-by-month review which highlights the pivotal points on the way to Champions League football. To kick off we head back to the first three months of the season to examine how August, September and October set up the campaign.
August
It’s almost like they knew what was coming. Newcastle United’s remarkable Premier League season was launched way back on August 6, 2022 with newly-promoted Nottingham Forest the visitors to St James’ Park.
Amid the summer sun, Wor Flags unveiled their first banner of the new season, a take on the Nina Simone classic, emblazoned with the words ‘It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life for NUFC... and we’re feeling good’.
Few would have predicted on that August afternoon that, nine months later, Eddie Howe would be leading his players around the St James’ Park pitch on a lap of honour to celebrate Champions League qualification and a season that saw them lose just five times in the Premier League and reach a Wembley final in the Carabao Cup.
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But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Back in August, it was all about the final weeks of the summer transfer window, seeing how new signings bedded in and where the need for reinforcements lay. Newcastle had five Premier League matches in the opening month, and won just one of them. A somewhat jarring statistic given what was to come, but crucially, they lost only once too – a defeat that still rankles on Tyneside. But more of that to come.
If the campaign really kicked off in style in later months, the evidence of a solid foundation for United’s achievements could be seen in some difficult August fixtures.
Not that Nottingham Forest posed too many issues on the opening day. True, Steve Cooper’s side made life difficult for the new-look Newcastle, who fielded just one debutant in goalkeeper Nick Pope. Dutch centre-back Sven Botman, who would go on to become such a vital part of United’s defence, was only named on the bench, coming on for his home debut in the final minutes.
Forest proved stubborn opponents, and it took a moment of magic from two players signed well before the takeover to give United the three points. Firstly, Fabian Schar rocketed a shot past Dean Henderson to break the deadlock before Callum Wilson’s deft flick from Joelinton’s cross sealed the win.
One game, one win, one clean sheet. We’d see plenty more of those. However, if August was not the month in which United really made their rivals sit up and take notice, then it was certainly a time for making strong first impressions.
Brighton presented the first away challenge of the campaign – who knew this would be a top-six battle? – and while United were not at their best, new keeper Pope certainly was. His series of stunning saves to deny the Seagulls earned a second clean sheet and what would turn out to be a valuable away point. Getting something from a game in which they’ve not played well? That’s a sign of a side who can go places.
When it comes to testing any team’s mettle, there are no better gauges than when the champions come to town. And there aren’t many better champions than Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. Erling Haaland and Co came to St James’ Park having won both of their opening games without conceding a goal, and when they opened the scoring through Ilkay Gundogan after just six minutes, you could be excused for hoping Newcastle just kept the score down.
But this is a different Newcastle United. Far from submitting to City’s elite, the Magpies dug in and slowly established a foothold in the game, so it was not against the run of play when Miguel Almiron stooped to convert a Saint-Maximin cross to draw United level.
Nor was it any injustice when Callum Wilson broke, wrong-footed the City defence and poked the ball past Ederson to give the home side a half-time lead. Batten down the hatches and hope to hold on? Nah. After the break United continued to threaten and the noise that greeted Kieran Trippier’s free-kick goal to make it 3-1 sent shockwaves round the city.
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Of course, you can only keep a Guardiola side down for so long, and City showed the class that made them champions – and would go on to do so again – by turning the screw and pulling it back to 3-3. It says it all, however, that a draw with the team who would go on to lift the Premier League trophy felt so much like a defeat.
A much-changed side got the Carabao Cup campaign underway against Tranmere with a 2-1 win, notable for a season-ending injury to Emil Krafth and a slight concern in that it was only when first-team regulars came into the game that United really took control, coming from behind to win thanks to goals from Jamaal Lascelles and Chris Wood.
The game away at Wolves was something of an anti-climax as United, without the injured Callum Wilson, struggled to impose themselves on the home side. Thankfully, Saint-Maximin earned Newcastle a point with a delicious goal in the dying stages, somehow controlling a volley from a high clearance. Watching on as an interested spectator in the Molineux stands that day was Alexander Isak. The Swedish striker had been signed for a club record fee from Real Sociedad the previous week, but with international clearance yet to come through, he had to wait for his debut.
That came at Anfield, and although United suffered their only defeat in the 2022 part of the season in controversial circumstances, the impact the Swede made gave notice that it was money well spent. In a tight first half, Isak spun in the box to get on the end of Sean Longstaff’s through ball and fired into the roof of the net to give United the lead. His celebrations in front of the away fans were something to behold.
It could have been 2-0 in the second period when Isak looked to have broken the offside trap before beating Alisson at the Kop end. A VAR review ruled offside by the narrowest of margins. Salt was rubbed into the wounds when Roberto Fimino levelled for Liverpool and then, deep in added time, United failed to clear and Fabio Carvalho made them pay.
If the defeat hurt, then United had shown they could go toe-to-toe with the league’s best twice this month, although the fact they had only one point to show for their efforts against Manchester City and Liverpool was the only disappointment. And so as the transfer window closed without United adding to the signings of Isak, Botman, Pope and a permanent deal for Matt Targett, they headed into September needing some positive results to ensure the foundations they built in August would not be wasted.
September
After setting out their stall in a hectic opening month, Newcastle United’s Premier League season stalled somewhat in September. Two home games against Crystal Palace and AFC Bournemouth looked, on the face of it, as routine as they come.
An international break meant they were the only two fixtures in the entire month for a United side that were still formulating the rhythm that would go on to define their season, and it showed in two frustrating St James’ Park games. But if the two draws in front of the home faithful were disappointing, an injury picked up by new record signing Alexander Isak would be a major blow for Eddie Howe’s side.
On the pitch, if Newcastle were still fuming about VAR disallowing Isak a second goal in the defeat to Liverpool at the end of August, things were about to become worse on that front. Crystal Palace came to St James’ Park to frustrate Newcastle – and to give them credit, their plan largely worked.
Isak had already spurned a glorious chance to open his St James’ Park account, but Newcastle thought they had scored when Palace full-back Tyrick Mitchell turned the ball past goalkeeper Vicente Guaita following a header across goal from Sven Botman. Cue VAR. Newcastle midfielder Joe Willock had collided with Guaita in the melee, leaving both on the floor, with referee Michael Sailsbury checking the evidence before ruling out the goal and giving a free-kick in Palace’s favour.
What angered Newcastle United – and the 52,000 inside the stadium – was that Willock had clearly been pushed by into the visiting keeper. An independent review later ruled it was an incorrect decision, but that did little to appease anyone connected with United.
In truth, United had struggled to break down Palace, and the same was true a fortnight later when Bournemouth were the visitors. Phillip Billing put the visitors ahead just after the hour mark. Thankfully, Newcastle didn’t take long to reply and this time VAR was on their side, awarding handball following a Kieran Trippier cross. Isak didn’t need a second invitation from 12 yards, and he slammed the ball home for his second United goal, and his first on home soil.
The result left the Magpies frustrated, with Howe admitting they were ‘below the levels we set ourselves for the first time this season’ and with a two-week wait until the next game, it meant United had recorded just one win in their opening seven Premier League games.
Striker Callum Wilson had not been seen in United colours since the 3-3 draw with Manchester City in mid-August, so the news that new signing Isak had picked up an injury while on international duty with Sweden was not what anyone wanted to hear. It was first described as a minor injury, with Sweden boss Janne Andersson agreeing to allow him to head home for treatment back on Tyneside.
Of course, Isak would be ruled out until January, and it was not until the FA Cup third-round clash with Sheffield Wednesday that we would see him in action again. Coupled with a knock to French winger Allan Saint-Maximin, there were doubts starting to creep in about just what United could achieve this season.
There was no question of being dragged into a relegation fight as had happened in previous seasons, and certainly the mood was significantly more optimistic than previous campaigns, but there was no doubt there was an element of pressure building as United looked ahead to the October fixtures.
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October
It is easy to forget Newcastle United entered October with just one Premier League win under their belt and facing a big test of their credentials. While pre-season optimism had extended as far as a top-half finish and the outside chance of a challenge for the European places, there was a feeling Eddie Howe’s side had not picked up the points many felt their performances deserved.
Impressive displays against Liverpool and Manchester City had yielded just a point, but it was the two St James’ Park draws with Bournemouth and Crystal Palace in September which had left the Magpies feeling less than satisfied with their start. Alarm bells may not have been ringing but they headed to Fulham on the opening day of October knowing they needed to start turning good performances into good results.
Marco Silva’s side had started the campaign well and was unbeaten at Craven Cottage at this stage – but everything was about to change. Crucially, Newcastle were able to welcome Callum Wilson back from injury and it was no coincidence the goals started to flow.
United were already well on top when Fulham midfielder Nathanial Chalobah was shown a straight red card for a lunging foul on Sean Longstaff after just eight minutes – and the visitors did not waste their numerical advantage. Wilson opening the scoring with a poacher’s finish before Miguel Almiron scored one of the goals of the season to put Newcastle firmly in control. Cutting in from the right, the Paraguayan played the ball back to Bruno Guimaraes on the edge of the box, then volleyed his lofted return ball into the roof of the net past a stunned Bernd Leno.
United then took control. Longstaff scored a third after Sven Botman’s header came back off the post, and Almiron wrapped it up with a close finish following good work from Joe Willock. A late Bobby Decordova-Reid consolation could not take the gloss off an excellent performance and United’s season hit lift-off.
Brentford were next up at St James’ Park and this time there was to be no stifling of Newcastle’s attacking prowess. The Bees were simply swept aside in a 5-1 victory which served notice to the rest of the Premier League that this United side meant business. A sumptuously-worked corner routine left Guimaraes unmarked at the far post to open the scoring before United’s high press forced an error in the Brentford backline and Jacob Murphy doubled the lead.
Ivan Toney pulled one back from the penalty spot just after half time when Dan Burn was adjudged to have handballed in the box – again VAR proving the villain in a decision which angered United – but it was a temporary revival for the visitors as Newcastle turned the screw. Minutes later, Guimaraes won the ball on the halfway line before surging forward and crashing a shot past David Raya in the visiting goal.
United were not done there. Almiron seized on an error from Ethan Pinnock to round Raya for the fourth before the unfortunate Pinnock turned the ball into his own net after a bustling run from Joelinton and with Callum Wilson waiting to pounce. Old Trafford and Manchester United were next on the agenda and, like at Anfield earlier in the season, the days of Newcastle going to the so-called ‘big six’ and hoping for the best were long gone.
A goalless draw was a creditable result in a tight encounter but Newcastle felt they should have had a penalty after Wilson was brought down in the box by Rafael Varane. VAR said no. Joelinton then headed a Kieran Trippier cross on to the crossbar before meeting the rebound – only to see his effort come back off the post as the visitors pressed.
The Red Devils had chances of their own – Fred somehow missing an almost open goal after good work from Marcus Rashford – while VAR was on Newcastle’s side for once when Jadon Sancho went down under a Sean Longstaff challenge.
So far, so good, with seven points from the opening three games – and still three more to come – and it would get even better. Almiron enjoyed a stellar first half of the season and this is when he really came into his own. After his brace at Fulham, the popular wideman played a big role in the next three games with matchwinning contributions in each.
Frank Lampard’s Everton were the first to feel the Miggy Effect, the Paraguayan curling home a left-footed effort past Jordan Pickford to earn United a 1-0 home win which, in truth, could have been a lot more. He was to star again as Newcastle headed to Spurs for a result which left no-one in any doubt that Howe’s side was a force to be reckoned with.
United were simply too hot for Spurs in the first half – that is not the last time we would say that this season – and roared into a 2-0 lead at the break. First Wilson outmuscled an outrushing Hugo Lloris to steal possession from the stranded French keeper, before lofting the ball home past desperate defenders to break the deadlock. Lloris’ appeals for a foul rightly fell on deaf ears.
Then it was Almiron’s turn. Longstaff reacted first to win possession from a Spurs goal-kick and fed the winger who burst into the box. The angle was acute but no matter, Almiron calmly slotted the ball left-footed past Lloris at his near post and the Magpies were in control.
Harry Kane pulled one back for the home side but Howe’s side rarely looked troubled as it claimed a big away win.
With the World Cup in Qatar looming at the end of November, United knew a strong finish to the month could put them in a terrific position for the enforced mid-season break and for players such as Wilson, time was running out to secure a place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad.
That he would be on the plane to Qatar was down in no small amount to his form leading up to the tournament – and he signed off October in style. Aston Villa – with Steven Gerrard still in charge – were put to the sword in a comprehensive 4-0 home win for Newcastle.
It somehow took until just before half-time to break the deadlock when Wilson scored from the penalty spot after a handball from Ashley Young, but from then on it was one-way traffic. The in-form Wilson added his and Newcastle’s second following a Trippier-Almiron corner routine which found the No 9 unmarked in the six-yard box, before Joelinton added the third.
The Brazilian swept home the rebound after Robin Olsen saved Wilson’s effort following a break-away move – Olsen on the pitch following an injury to Emi Martinez. The Argentine goalkeeper would go on to end the year in more successful fashion for his country.
It was perhaps fitting that after such an impressive month Almiron should have the final word. Wilson fed him on the right-hand side, he cut in on his favoured left foot and curled a superb effort out of the reach of Olsen for the fourth.
Six games, five wins and a draw. Sixteen goals scored and only three conceded – but they were just getting started.
