Key takeaways from Newcastle’s 2020-21 schedule

Newcastle United learned the order of their opponents for next season earlier today.

Newcastle United can now develop a more specific strategy as they prepare for the start of the season. Earlier today, the Premier League released the 2020-21 schedule for every club.

You can view Newcastle United’s full schedule by clicking here. Generally speaking, the Magpies have a balanced schedule, but let’s dive in a bit deeper and note some key observations.

First Ten Games

In the past few seasons, Newcastle United had several difficult games to start the season, but they can take a decent number of points from their first ten games this term.

Five of their first ten games are against teams that finished last season in the bottom half of the table, with their first two games being against West Ham and Brighton.

If Newcastle United can get off to a hot start, it would set the tone for the rest of the season. Fans are used to seeing the Magpies in the bottom three for the first two months of the campaign, but that narrative might change with this schedule, assuming key players can avoid major injuries.

Festive Period

Some fans on Twitter have expressed their concern over the schedule in December, but, in my opinion, Newcastle United could not have asked for a better list of fixtures.

Four of the six games in December will be against Aston Villa, who barely survived last season, and all three newly-promoted sides, consecutively.

The end of the month is frightening with games against Manchester City and Liverpool over a two-day period. However, if Newcastle United can handle business against the newcomers before taking on the giants, December can prove to be a massive month for the Toon.

March through May

Steve Bruce will be looking at the end of the schedule wondering where the points will come from, which makes the month of March critical for his side.

The Magpies face West Brom, Aston Villa, and Brighton in March. Taking seven to nine points from those games is a must, especially when looking at the opposition in April and May.

Six of the club’s final nine games consist of clashes against Tottenham, Liverpool, Arsenal, Leicester City, Manchester City, and Sheffield United, with the last five being in consecutive order.

Seeing how balanced the Magpies’ schedule is in September, October, November, December, and March, the Toon Army can only hope relegation is not a concern come April.