Newcastle United are now facing a crunch 42-day period that will shape their season ahead of the unprecedented World Cup break in November. When players return from international duty in the build-up to the clash at Fulham on October 1, the trip to Craven Cottage will be the first of nine matches before the tournament in Qatar.
There will be 24 points available to Eddie Howe and the chance to keep one pathway to Wembley in the League Cup open going into the winter. In short, the 42-day run of matches will be a major test to a squad that have already felt the strain of a high-octane season so far with key stars like Allan Saint-Maximin, Callum Wilson, Bruno Guimaraes and Jonjo Shelvey breaking down in the summer months alone.
Howe was realistic about where Newcastle are in terms of results going into the international break. He stated he was "desperate" to see his side win and that the solitary Premier League win of the season back on August 6 against Nottingham Forest felt like a "long time" in waiting.
