Wednesday was a day of positive updates for Newcastle United

Monday was a rough day for Newcastle United as the Magpies struggled in a 2-0 loss vs. Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. While pessimism continued to rise on Tyneside to start the week, yesterday actually brought two positive updates for the club.

First, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirmed that Manchester United’s star midfielder Paul Pogba will be out for the rest of February with a thigh injury. As soccer fans, we all would like to see a healthy Pogba out there on the pitch. But, from a Newcastle perspective, they will surely benefit from Pogba’s absence when the clubs face off on Sunday.

Then, Newcastle fans turned their attention to the Fulham-Burnley fixture. With Fulham continuing to close the gap on Newcastle, this was another winnable match for Scott Parker’s side.

Ola Aina scored shortly after the break and it appeared the gap between 17th and 18th place would be down to four. But, Ashley Barnes was able to find an equalizer minutes later.

The match would end in a 1-1 draw and the split points kept Fulham six points behind NUFC as they look to escape the relegation zone. Of course, a Fulham loss would’ve been the best result, but the draw is certainly preferred over a win, especially with matches for the Cottagers coming up next against Sheffield United and Crystal Palace.

Now, Newcastle will at least enter March outside of the relegation zone, even if they lose their remaining February matches. While Newcastle United’s issues won’t be solved by either of these updates, they will surely help the club as it struggles for its Premier League safety. Now, it’s time for Newcastle to grab control of their own fate.