ESPN predicts a top seven finish for Newcastle United
By Durim Halimi
ESPN released their Premier League predictions for the 2018-19 campaign and they predict Newcastle United to finish seventh.
On May 27th, just two weeks after the 2017-18 Premier League campaign concluded, American sports giant, ESPN, released their predictions for next season. In this list, Manchester City were selected as the favorites to win the league and Newcastle United were predicted to finish seventh.
According to ESPN, Newcastle will finish ahead of Crystal Palace (8th), Fulham (9th) and Everton (10th). While ESPN is confident that the Magpies will earn enough points to finish just outside of the top six, there is a catch.
Logic Behind The Prediction
Nick Ames, a writer for ESPN FC, provided a detailed note as to why he predicts Newcastle to finish among the top seven clubs next season. Ames mentioned that Rafa Benitez was promised a war chest for the summer transfer window, but we all know how meaningful a promise from Mike Ashley is. Transfer budget aside, Ames went on to make the following statement:
"Given two or three quality signings, there is no reason why, in a league that lacks an obvious challenger to the established order, he cannot nestle them in beneath the leading pack. As Benitez showed last season with a middling squad, there are few better managers around."
On a personal level, I am in full agreement with this statement from Ames. Newcastle lived with the label of being a Championship side in the top flight for several months. At the end of the season, that so-called “Championship” roster proved doubters wrong and earned a top ten finish.
Rafa Benitez was not expected to succeed with the players he has, but the Spaniard is showing that it is possible. Benitez is still trying to bring players in this summer, but thus far he has secured the arrivals of Martin Dubravka, Ki Sung-yueng and Kenedy.
With these three signings, Newcastle have definitely upgraded their roster and added much-needed depth to the team sheet. The problem, however, is that Newcastle still have not fulfilled their primary objective this summer – bringing in a striker.
Newcastle can boast a stable defense and midfield all day long, but it means nothing without a decent front-line. If goals are not being generated by the attacking core, then Newcastle will not finish anywhere near seventh next season.
With that being said, Newcastle still have a few weeks left to make deals happen this summer. Benitez himself stated his desire to bring in a few new players, especially a striker. If Newcastle can bring in a quality striker, Ames’ prediction could become a reality.