No team in Premier League history has suffered relegation from the position Newcastle United are in. A 1-0 win over Wolves on Friday lifted the Magpies 10 points clear of the drop zone with just eight games remaining.
Victory moved Eddie Howe’s men onto 34 points from 31 games - a position no team in the competition has ever surrendered from. In 2008/09, the first time Newcastle were relegated under Mike Ashley, they only managed 29 at this stage of the season. Likewise, in 2015/16, Rafa Benitez was just three games into his Tyneside tenure and United were stuck on a measly 25 points from 31 outings.
The highest tally any club has managed after 31 games and still went down is Blackpool in 2010/11. Ian Holloway’s side amassed 33 points but won just once in their last 11 and were relegated by a point on the final day of the campaign. Bitter rivals Sunderland also slipped up under Peter Reid. The Black Cats were on 32 points - three clear of the bottom three - but were demoted in 1996/97 after losing 1-0 to Wimbledon in their last game of the season.
