The 2020-21 campaign has been a season full of bad news for Newcastle United. The Magpies have already played a few games without their best overall player, Callum Wilson, but now it has been confirmed that Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin will also be out until April.
At first glance, that injury update screams “Newcastle United are going down, Fulham are staying up!” From a different perspective though, there is a positive spin that will help the Toon keep their head above water. First, let’s take a look at Fulham’s brutal schedule.
The Cottagers desperately need some positive results to catch Newcastle United and stay ahead of them, but it is extremely difficult to see that happening. In order, Fulham’s next eight games are as follows: Tottenham (H), Liverpool (A), Manchester City (H), Leeds United (H), Aston Villa (A), Wolverhampton (H), Arsenal (A), and Chelsea (H).
When looking at that schedule, it is difficult to see Fulham claiming more than one or two points, and let’s hope that is the case. Their tough run of fixtures comes at the perfect time for Newcastle United, but the true moment that will take pressure off the Toon is the international break.
A two-week break is exactly what Newcastle United need to recover and reset as a team.
The international break will serve as a major blessing for this club. This two-week break from action, which begins in the third week of March through April 2nd will give Newcastle United a chance to breathe and polish up their tactics.
Most importantly though, the end of the international break could see Wilson, Almiron, and Saint-Maximin fully fit for Newcastle United. At the very least, Wilson should be ready to go, and his clinical finishing will be the Magpies’ ticket to staying in the Premier League.
The next couple of weeks will generate plenty of anxiety and stress for the Toon Army, but so long as Newcastle United can take at least four points from West Brom and Brighton without their key players, the situation looks much brighter. Four points would put the team’s tally at 30 points with nine games left, and, as highlighted above, Fulham could see the gap go from three points to seven points.