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Give us an Arsenal style start and who knows with Newcastle United
Arsenal were one of the big talking points of the 2022/23 Premier League season.
Indeed, they were only a couple of results short of becoming THE talking point of last season.
Despite indifferent form and results over the course of the final eight weeks of the season, remarkably, if Arsenal had still managed in the final three games to win against Brighton at home and defeat Forest away, the Gunners would still have ended up as champions!
So how did Arsenal go from fifth place no-hopers to favourites to lift the Premier League for much of last season?
Well, I think it would be foolish in the extreme to simply ignore the part that luck plays and in this case, luck with how the fixtures fall.
Last season, the first five Arsenal Premier League fixtures were Palace (A), Leicester (H), Bournemouth (A), Fulham (H) and Villa (H).
No great surprise that Arsenal won all five, getting them off to a dream start.
Arteta’s team lost at Man U in their sixth match but buoyed by confidence and momentum as they still remained top of the table after six games, Arsenal went on to then win nine of their following ten games in 2022, with one draw. Success feeds success and without that great start of winning all five, would / could Arsenal have had such positive further results throughout the final months of 2022?
In contrast, it was widely agreed that Eddie Howe and his players had been given a ridiculously tough start to the 2022/23 season. After an opening game home to Forest, it was Brighton away, Man City home, Wolves away, Liverpool away. So the top two teams from the previous season AND away games at Brighton and Wolves who had both finished above NUFC in the 2021/22 campaign.
In the circumstances, Newcastle played exceptionally well and very unlucky not to be unbeaten, as the referee played on until Liverpool scored the winner at Anfield.
Six points from a possible fifteen but the opposite of Arsenal, as I think this tough opening set of games then massively contributed to only drawing at home to Palace and Bournemouth, in games they were very much expected to win, especially if Newcastle were to have any chance of featuring towards things at the upper end of table.
To put in a positive surprise challenge towards the top end, I would say very rarely this can happen without getting the benefit / confidence from early wins.
Looking back at when Leicester pulled off the biggest surprise of all, their very first game (and win) in August 2015 was home to Sunderland, then in their next twelve Premier League matches they played the likes of West Ham, Norwich, Palace (twice), Watford, Bournemouth, Villa, Stoke, West Brom, Southampton and in their thirteenth match, Steve McClaren’s Newcastle United who Leicester beat 3-0 at St James’ Park. They had Tottenham at home but their only really obvious tough game, at least on paper, in these opening 13 PL matches was Arsenal away, their only defeat in that opening third of the season.
These past eighteen months under Eddie Howe, Newcastle United have shown a great capacity for putting together long winning runs of games, especially if getting a generous run of fixtures.
If Newcastle United on Wednesday (14 June) get a similar set of opening fixtures (see important dates below) as was the case for Leicester in 2015 and Arsenal in 2022, I can’t help but think what could potentially be delivered by Eddie Howe’s Mags, if they get their fair share of luck…
A list of important Newcastle United (and some others that may be of interest) dates below and other guidance, for this summer and the 2023/24 season:
Friday 9 June 2023
Sam Fender ‘home’ gig at St James’ Park
Saturday 10 June 2023
Sam Fender ‘home’ gig at St James’ Park
Champions League final – Inter Milan v Man City
Wednesday 14 June 2023
This is the opening of the summer transfer window for Newcastle United and all other Premier League clubs.
Wednesday 14 June
Holland v Croatia (Sven Botman) Euro Qualifier
Thursday 15 June 2023
Premier League fixtures announced for 2023/24 season at 9am.
Friday 16 June
Sweden v New Zealand (Alexander Isak) Friendly
Andorra v Switzerland (Fabian Schar) Euro Qualifier
Malta v England (Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson) Euro Qualifier
Saturday 17 June
Brazil v Guinea (Joelinton and Bruno) Friendly – To be played in Barcelona
Iceland v Slovakia (Martin Dubravka) Euro Qualifier
Monday 19 June
Switzerland v Romania (Fabian Schar) Euro Qualifier
England v North Macedonia (Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson) Euro Qualifier
Tuesday 20 June
Austria v Sweden (Alexander Isak) Euro Qualifier
Brazil v Senegal (Joelinton and Bruno) Friendly – To be played in Lisbon
Liechenstein v Slovakia (Martin Dubravka) Euro Qualifier
Tuesday 18 July 2023
Friendly – Rangers v Newcastle (7.45pm) Allan McGregor testimonial at Ibrox, NUFC allocated 8,000 tickets.
Sunday 23 July 2023
Friendly – Newcastle v Aston Villa (7pm – Local time) Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Wednesday 26 July 2023
Friendly – Newcastle v Chelsea (8:15pm – Local time) Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Friday 28 July 2023
Friendly – Newcastle v Brighton (7:30pm – Local time) Red Bull Arena, New Jersey
Saturday 12 August 2023
Premier League fixtures for the 2023/24 season kick off this weekend.
Thursday 31 August 2023
Champions League group draw is made (following the final round of play-off ties on 29 and 30 August).
Friday 1 September 2023
The summer transfer window closes at 11pm.
Saturday 9 September 2023
No Premier League matches due to an international break.
Tuesday 19 September
The first Champions League group matches kick off.
Saturday 14 October 2023
No Premier League matches due to an international break.
Saturday 18 November 2023
No Premier League matches due to an international break.
13 December 2023
Wednesday 13 December
The final Champions League group matches are played.
Monday 1 January 2024
This is the opening of the winter transfer window for Newcastle United and all other Premier League clubs.
Saturday 13 January 2024
The Premier League’s ‘winter break’ will come back in this season, as all clubs will have either the weekend of 13 January 2024 or 20 January 2024, off. All games will be initially scheduled for January 13 and then when the TV fixtures announcement is made, half the games will be moved to the following weekend, thus giving all clubs one week off.
Thursday 1 February 2024
This is the closing of the winter transfer window for Newcastle United and all other Premier League clubs, at 11pm.
Saturday 23 March 2024
No Premier League matches due to an international break.
Sunday 19 May 2024
Final round of Premier League matches played to end the 2023/24 season.
(Saturday 1 June 2024 Champions League final at Wembley – We all can now dream…)
