March is the month that brings new life. For Newcastle United, March is a month full of struggle and tests that could make or break their season
Newcastle currently find themselves in 11th place in the Premier League table, a sight many Geordies wouldn’t have expected after the success of the previous campaign.
At this same point last season, Newcastle were in 6th place, just three points behind 4th-place Manchester City.
For any hope of European football, Newcastle will have to find results in the league or in other competitions.
The black and whites still find themselves in the FA Cup and the Champions League, which provides them with a glimmer of hope as they cast their sights on another season of European football.
Lavish or Lacklustre in the League
The Magpies kick off the month with a game against Manchester United at St James Park.
When the sides met on Boxing Day at Old Trafford, the Red Devils claimed the three points thanks to a clever finish from Patrick Dorgu.
Since that game, United – Manchester that is, have been on an incredible run under Michael Carrick, as they are yet to lose in the league in 2026, finding themselves 4th in the league.
Eddie Howe will want to make sure their month starts off with a bang; however, suffering defeat here would mean Carrick’s side has done the league double over Newcastle for the first time since 2020/21.
Their next league game comes midway through March, as they travel to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea.
Back in December, Newcastle went 2-0 up with a brace from Nick Woltemade, but they would eventually draw the game with second-half goals from Reece James and Joao Pedro.
Prior to that, Newcastle had won the two previous meetings between the teams 2-0 at St James Park; however, the last time the Magpies won at Chelsea was in 2012, or as it’s better known, the ‘Papiss Cisse game’.
In fact, they have only won two games at Stamford Bridge since 2000 in all competitions.
Their third and final league game of the month comes in the Tyne-Wear derby, the first to be held at St James’ Park in ten years.
The Toon Army will be ready for their most anticipated game of the season, but recent history hasn’t treated them so kindly in this fixture either.
Since Newcastle’s promotion back to the Premier League in 2010, the Magpies have won just three games out of 14 against Sunderland in all competitions.
No one can forget the result this season either, as an own goal from Woltemade gave Sunderland three points at the Stadium of Light.
With Newcastle’s current predicament in the league, they would have to find a way to pick up points, or they could slip lower down the table, and possibly below Sunderland.
Eddie meets Pep once again
Following their game against Man Utd, Newcastle will host another team from Manchester, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
This is the fifth time these clubs have met this season, with Newcastle triumphing once, in a 2-1 win back in November.
They faced each other in the league just over a week ago, with City winning 2-1 at the Etihad.
City have already dumped the Magpies out of the Carabao cup, overcoming the current cup holders over two legs in the semi-finals.
In the last twenty years, Newcastle have only walked away victorious four times in this fixture.
If Newcastle can get the result they desire, it would be the fourth time they have reached the quarter-final stage since 2000, but the last two times they got there, Guardiola’s team knocked them out in 2019/20 and 2023/24.
After last season’s success at Wembley, Eddie Howe will be hoping they can go back to the capital once again and claim glory, but the game versus City will be a big hill to climb.
Toon Army heads to sunny Spain
Following the Champions League draw, Newcastle now know they will take on Barcelona in the Round of 16.
This is the furthest Newcastle has ever got in Europe’s elite football competition, having never escaped the group stages before.
Hans Flick’s team won’t be a pushover, though, as the Catalan giants find themselves sitting at the top of La Liga. One point ahead of Real Madrid.
The two teams faced each other in the league phase, as a Marcus Rashford double was enough to quiet St James Park.
In the five times the clubs have met, Barcelona have come away with the win in four of them; Newcastle beat them in their first Champions League outing, thanks to Tino Asprilla’s hat trick.
Barcelona come into the tie with three wins in a row in Europe, beating Frankfurt, Slavia Prague and FC Copenhagen.
In the seasons the Spanish team have reached the knockout stages, they have only been eliminated three times in this round since its rebranding to the Champions League.
However, out of the three, two of them were at the hands of English clubs (Chelsea 2004/05, Liverpool 2006/07).
History may not be so kind to Newcastle, looking at their upcoming fixtures, and on paper, these will be a hugely tough test for them.
This month will define Newcastle’s season; it could be a month that puts them into the position to get European football once again, and possibly some silverware in May.
However, it could also be the month that ends the dreams for the Magpie fans and could have question marks over the future of Howe at the club.
