With 38 Premier League games played since the end of the Mike Ashley era at Newcastle United, the waves of positivity created by Amanda Staveley’s PIF-backed takeover still ripple across St James’ Park.
But after that first full “season” in charge, how do cold, hard statistics judge the impact of the Magpies’ new boardroom – and dug-out – regime? Where do those 38 Premier League games under new ownership rank alongside other warmly remembered top-flight seasons on Tyneside?
If you add Eddie Howe’s seemingly impressive 52-point haul in his 33 league games in charge to the two points picked up under Graeme Jones following Steve Bruce's exit, Newcastle have picked up 54 points in the first post-Ashley “season”.
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Even setting aside the context of the relegation battle which Howe inherited, those 54 points would have secured United a top-half finish in nine of the last 10 Premier League seasons – and seventh place in three of those campaigns. And 54 points is a total better than Newcastle have managed in 18 of the 26 seasons they have played in the Premier League.
The Magpies’ momentum has been slowed by the summer break, with their 38 points in the final 19 games last season equating to Champions League qualification form. This season’s current tally of eight points from seven games is actually worse than United have managed at this stage in two of five top-flight seasons since promotion in 2017.
However, more detailed data suggests that Newcastle’s performances have been better than recent results. Understat, a platform focusing on xG data, maintains that United should be four places – at sixth – and two points better off in this season’s Premier League.
And even the referees’ bosses at PGMOL acknowledge that Newcastle were robbed of victory against Crystal Palace by a wrongly disallowed goal.
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