{"id":1513,"date":"2022-11-12T09:46:48","date_gmt":"2022-11-12T09:46:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/?p=1513"},"modified":"2023-03-26T07:47:07","modified_gmt":"2023-03-26T07:47:07","slug":"2022-11-12-pl-nufc-cfc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/2022-11-12-pl-nufc-cfc","title":{"rendered":"High-flying Magpies meet Crumbling Chelsea"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As teams gear up for their final match-ups before the FIFA World Cup, one particular Premier League fixture could be of huge significance heading into the season interval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This past week marked one year since Eddie Howe was appointed Newcastle United manager. 12 months later, the team is unrecognizable. At the time of his arrival there were doubts surrounding Howe’s sharpness as the ex-Bournemouth boss had been between jobs for more than a year before signing at St. James’ Park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newcastle are the fifth-best performing Premier League team since Howe took charge in November 2021, with 71 points from 41 games, and they have picked up more points than the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Howe, 44, was named PL Manager of the Month for October with Newcastle certain to be inside the top four at Christmas. The Magpies are currently 3rd with 27 points from a possible 42 and they have incurred just a solitary defeat this term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Victory over Chelsea could see Newcastle within 7 points of the league leaders (and nine clear of their opposition on Saturday) when the domestic campaign goes on pause.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Howe was unveiled as Newcastle Utd manager in November, 2021.
(Photo by Serena Taylor\/Newcastle United via Getty Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Last season, Newcastle spent 150 days in the relegation zone \u2013 including the whole of Howe\u2019s first three months in charge \u2013 and they were bottom of the table at Christmas. The Magpies only climbed out of the bottom three in early February this year and they haven’t looked back since then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Howe initially struggled in the early stages of his tenure, taking only 7 points from his opening nine matches in charge. It took four league games in 2022 for Newcastle to match their points tally from the first half of last season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the contrary, Newcastle have earned 64 points from their last 32 matches, averaging 2 points per game. Over a 38-game season this would see them earn 76 points which is typically enough to earn UEFA Champions League qualification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newcastle have earned 1,9 points per game this term (on average) which is their best return at this stage of a top-flight campaign since 1996-97; that season they went on to finish as runners-up for a second consecutive year. In addition, the Magpies currently have a goal differential of +17 \u2013 their strongest GD in the Premier League since April 2003; they ended in 3rd place that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two factors in Newcastle’s favour ahead of the second portion of the season are no European football this term as well as few of their players being called up to the World Cup, relative to other teams towards the top end of the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newcastle are very much in the hunt for the #UCL<\/a> places and show no signs of slowing down:

\u26ab St James’ Park is now a fortress
\u26aa Rapid starters
\u26ab Increased use of pressing@ChrisDHWaugh<\/a> and @MarkCarey93<\/a> explore why #NUFC<\/a> are firing on all cylindershttps:\/\/t.co\/jj3eBcY0zQ<\/a><\/p>\u2014 The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) November 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>