Newcastle United must replicate Manchester United performance

Victory over Manchester United on Sunday has given the Toon faithful a new lease of life, but might we be celebrating too soon?

The atmosphere at St. James’ Park was electrifying on Sunday, with every tackle and successful pass met with raucous applause – a reminder of the emotions this great club can bring out of the 50,000 plus who fill the stands through thick and thin.

Taking all three points at home to arguably the biggest club in world football has rightfully brought plaudits Newcastle United’s way, even if pundits would rather discuss the failings of Jose Mourinho rather than what could be a season-defining moment on Tyneside.

Unsurprisingly, memories of disappointing draws to Swansea and Crystal Palace have been forgotten, but three draws, one loss and one victory in Rafa Benitez’s last five games should not be considered enough for the Toon.

Benitez has seen over a strong defensive unit, and whilst avoiding defeat especially to fellow strugglers is vital in avoiding relegation, Newcastle will have to build upon the Manchester United result and use it as a blueprint in their tough remaining fixtures.

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With 11 matches remaining in the 17/18 Premier League season, the Toon do not have an easy ride. They are yet to face Liverpool, Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea for a second time, and Everton, Leicester and Watford should not be ignored either.

Despite being in 13th, Rafa Benitez’s men will be looking over their shoulder as they sit only two points above the relegation zone. If the Manchester United result proved anything, it was that the atmosphere at St. James’ Park can have a real, tangible impact on the performance on the pitch – therefore the Toon’s focus should be on their remaining home matches.

This makes for more pleasurable viewing when you consider some of the teams that were just listed. Home matches against Southampton, Huddersfield Town and West Brom all present clear favourable opportunities for three points, and Arsenal’s visit to St. James’ Park in April could spring surprise with the Gunners enduring another underwhelming season.

Less favourable is the visit of Antonio Conte’s Chelsea to Tyneside on the final day of Newcastle’s season, but there’s a good chance Newcastle will be safe from relegation by the time that fixture comes around.

Next up for the Toon is a visit to the South Coast against AFC Bournemouth, and for a greater look ahead to this fixture check out the February fixture preview posted at the beginning of this month. The Cherries are coming off a disappointing 4-1 loss to Huddersfield, who before that fixture had lost four games on the bounce.

In their next five matches, Newcastle will have to face both Liverpool and Spurs away from home, so it is vital to take points against Bournemouth. The performance against Manchester United will be hard to replicate away from home at other top sides, but every point counts at this stage.

With a home match against Huddersfield after the Spurs fixture, a point away to Liverpool and Spurs could be the icing on the cake for a defiant Newcastle United to ensure their Premier League status before the final few games of the season.

The Toon currently sit on 28 points, and it would only take four wins from the remaining games to reach the usual safety mark of 40 points. In fact, it probably won’t even take 40 points to survive this season. So if Rafa Benitez can engineer four more strong performances, the Toon can rest easy.

It is important that the Chelsea match on the final game of the season does not decide the fate of Newcastle United, and even with some tough fixtures remaining, the Toon must continue to prove that they have the quality to beat the drop. The Manchester United result showed a real strength of character in the squad, but also in Rafa Benitez, who has faced criticism for his defensive approach this season.

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With a two-week break between now and the Bournemouth fixture, there is plenty of time for new signing Islam Slimani to regain his fitness, as he was not considered ready for the game this past Sunday.

Debutant Martin Dubravka practically won all three points on his own against Manchester United, and he has already won over the fans with not only his shot stopping, but also his confidence and commanding presence that will hopefully make the Newcastle back four more comfortable.

Next: High expectations for Slimani at Newcastle

With a defense as solid as it is, Rafa Benitez is not asking for much out of his forward players. Just one goal will make the difference, and Matt Ritchie’s first of the season was taken like a player who has been scoring for fun all season. This reflects on the positive environment that St. James’ Park created on Sunday, and the longer it continues, the closer the Toon get to another deserved season of Premier League football.