Newcastle United have defied all pre-season expectations and are on course for a return to Champions League football following a 20 year absence. Arsenal and Manchester City are potentially a win away from securing their place in Europe's elite competition, but the Magpies could also have a say in the title race in the final few weeks of the season.
Eddie Howe's side have an eight point gap and a game in hand on both Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur in the potential Europa League spots, while Liverpool are nine points adrift but have played the same amount of games as the Toon. Roberto De Zerbi's Brighton have a game in hand and can move to within seven points of the Magpies if they win that, while they also still have to travel to St. James' Park.
Newcastle are set to play three of the sides that could still go down this season in Southampton, Leicester City and Leeds United. Chronicle Live has taken a look at what managers in the top-eight have had to say on Newcastle and the run in itself.
READ MORE: 'Start dreaming of Madrid' - The national media verdict on Newcastle United's 4-1 win over Everton
Arsenal - Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta and Arsenal will head to St. James' Park in the coming weeks looking to salvage their title hopes after they were dashed in defeat to Manchester City. Newcastle spoiled the Gunners' top-four ambitions last season and will be hoping to have a similar impact this season.
Speaking after defeat to Manchester City, Arteta told football.london: "The stats at the start of the season said we’d finish sixth or seventh and we are where we are with five games to go. Those players deserve a lot of credit to go nine and a half months against this team doing what they have done.
"There’s still five games to go. Five. I’ve been in this country almost 22 years and I’ve seen a lot of things and I know how much it shifts from game to game.
"There are not easy games in this league. Let’s see. We have to lift our players tonight. We played against an exceptional team, we know that, but we are an exceptional team as well. Today we didn’t do the basics and understand what we needed to win the game."
Man City - Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola hailed the 'incredible' work of Eddie Howe and his coaching staff for the work they've done at Newcastle United and have been one of the toughest sides they've faced this season.
He told the Manchester Evening News: "Incredible what happened last season and this season they are taking a step forward so it looks like they have came to stay. What I have seen lately is what they have done all season.
"It is one of the toughest opponents we have until the end of the season for the quality, they do everything brilliant. The threats, transitions, set pieces - best team in the league for many, many things. That is why they are there for a long, long time this season."
Manchester United - Erik ten Hag
Manchester United have had somewhat of a wobble since winning the Carabao Cup Final and handed Newcastle an advantage in the race for the top-four following defeat at St. James' Park earlier this month. The Red Devils are on course to qualify for the Champions League and have a game in hand on the Toon, which could move them back up into third.
"We have the worst schedule in the Premier League and it will not change, so we have to take that but it cannot be an excuse," Ten Hag told the Manchester Evening News. "The time is enough to recover so our players are in demand to be ready and today we were not ready.
"Some thought 90% was enough, we lost focus, that's why we gave balls away, we didn't do our jobs in positioning and you concede goals. It was the case with both goals, but more you lose control of the game.
"You have to bring it every time, although I know they are not robots. It's a tough schedule, but it can't be, we can't accept, when you are playing for Man United and wearing the shirt then you have to give it on every occasion, every game. As a team, you have to get the win, then everyone is happy and satisfied.
"You have to prepare as a player, then you are ready for a battle and for a fight."
Tottenham Hotspur - Ryan Mason
Newcastle United's demolition of Tottenham at St. James' Park acted as a hammer blow to Spurs' top-four hopes, while allowing the Magpies to move clear. The Toon could put further distance between themselves and the North London side with a win in their game in hand.
Ryan Mason has taken over from Cristian Stellini after the Italian coach was sacked following the 6-1 defeat last weekend.
Mason told football.london: "It's been difficult after Sunday because the manner in which we lost wasn't nice for anyone to be involved with. But the most important thing now until the end of the season will always be to stick together as a team.
"Football - small details can change games, change results but ultimately the most important thing is to be together. And to everyone - the fans, the outside world looking in they'll see a team that's solid and united together. And when you are that you have a chance of success."
Aston Villa - Unai Emery
Aston Villa have surprised many this season and Newcastle United were certainly one of those when the Toon were comfortably beaten 3-0 at Villa Park in a rare off day. Unai Emery has worked his magic and the Villains are on course for a return to European football.
Emery told Birmingham Live: "Now the last step is to keep the European places. We escaped from the bottom, we got top ten. Now the European place is the last step. It’s the most difficult ahead.
"Still five matches to play for us, but not for Liverpool, Brighton or Man United. Yes for Tottenham. We have to face the match and on Sunday playing, enjoying this opportunity we have in front. The new target is Europe.
"It could be Champions league, Europa League, Conference League. Champions League is very difficult, maybe impossible. Europa League, Europa Conference League could be possible. We are fighting now with Liverpool and Tottenham. Three or four years ago they were in Champions League finals and now we’re fighting with them with their same players.
"Brighton as well, playing brilliant this season and deserving to be there as well. We are with them. Three months ago we were behind them but now we deserve this opportunity and to have this target in front of our supporters."
Liverpool - Jurgen Klopp
Jurgen Klopp has been vocal about the Magpies' this season and not always in a positive manner. However, the Reds boss was left impressed by the demolition job done on Spurs last weekend.
Klopp told the Liverpool Echo: "The Newcastle game, I came home, switched the TV on and it was 1-0, I had something else to do and wanted to watch the game later, I came back and it was 5-0!
"I honestly thought there was something wrong with the screen, like someone had made a joke or something like that. I had to watch it back later.
"Newcastle is in a very good moment, you saw that [against Everton], individuals are really shining, full of confidence, so these kinds of things can happen. And then it was a normal game after that and it ended 1-1.
"So I never could in my life think like that, to find for yourself the right attitude in the game then you have to think the opponent is really strong. And they are strong."
Brighton - Roberto De Zerbi
At one stage, it looked like Roberto De Zerbi's Brighton were nailed on for a historical first season in European football, but their FA Cup endeavours have impacted that in recent weeks. The Gulls can still qualify for Europe one way or another, but that could require a near perfect run in between now and the end of the seaosn.
When asked if his squad had enough depth to play three games a week and play in Europe next season, De Zerbi told Sussex Live: "I don't know. For sure I am honest and I don't want to speak in this way when we lose the game. I am proud of my players even though we lost today (Wednesday).
"We will speak with Tony [Bloom] at the end of the season. We are suffering too many injuries in this moment.
"We have a lot of very good young players, [Facundo] Buonanotte and [Julio] Enciso. But young players need to play and make mistakes and you have to give them the time to progress and improve. I am disappointed but I am not frustrated because I know the situation, we are Brighton, we can't forget that - when we win or lose and especially when we lose.
"We have to be proud of our results this season and we have to be focused on the last eight games. We can fight to achieve our target, we deserve to fight to reach our target but the situation is tough because we are not used to playing so many games in a row.
"Yesterday (Tuesday), I said this game was the most important game of the season. I knew the game today (Wednesday) was very, very, very tough. It was very tough for the energy but for the head too. The big teams are used to playing today, tomorrow, at four o'clock in the night, at nine o'clock in the morning, in the afternoon with the rain or sun. We are working on this.
"I think we can reach this level. I am speaking with Tony [Bloom]. If we want to reach this level I think it is better to say I know the way. I will work hard to reach this level. I am not speaking about the table, I am speaking about the mentality."
