Newcastle United: A preview of the club’s April fixtures
By Declan Ryan
“Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”
Deep into the international break, anxious Newcastle United fans have only a week to wait for Premier League action return to St. James’ Park.
March is not yet over, yet despite the postponed Spurs fixture Newcastle are well poised to meet the predictions made for this month’s round of fixtures. An expected loss at Liverpool has been juxtaposed by the fantastic victory over Southampton, and the Toon will be looking to ride this newfound momentum against Huddersfield on March 31st.
With a positive mood around the club, improvements have been visible in the consistent play of Florian Lejeune and the recent goals of Matt Ritchie, both of whom struggled earlier this season.
The break has stretched a bit too long for some however, with delirium seemingly setting in over the recent Floyd Mayweather takeover rumours. A return to the on-the-pitch action will be a welcome one following a slow three-week break, and all of the focus will be on the bottom half of the table in what may be one of the most exciting final eight-game stretches in Premier League history.
A week ago, we broke down the strength of schedule for Newcastle United and their relegation rivals, but let’s take a closer look at how April shapes up for the Magpies.
Four huge fixtures present excellent opportunities for Rafa Benitez’s men to cement their position outside of the relegation zone, and with three weeks of rest and preparation almost over, there won’t be any room for excuses when it’s all said and done.