- Newcastle United given new verdict in Premier League supercomputer
- Late Elliot Anderson goal crushes European hopes
- Can Magpies even make the Conference League?
Newcastle United played out a 1-1 draw at the City Ground, as former academy graduate Elliot Anderson scored a late equaliser that could destroy the Magpies’ hopes of European qualification.
Eddie Howe’s men came into the game off the back of a win against Brighton, with European football still on their minds. However, they remain 13th with just two games left in the Premier League campaign. The Opta supercomputer predicts this is effectively the end of their aspirations, with too many results needing to go in their favour.
Following the game, the English manager spoke to the media about the issues in the match and how his side should have come away with all three points.
He said: “It’s a decent performance, but when you group everything that’s happened to us this season, it’s another game that we feel we should’ve won and we haven’t. Already we’re starting to digest why we didn’t, lessons to learn, things to improve.”
Supercomputer predicts Newcastle United finish
Opta believes the Black and Whites will finish the season in their current position of 13th.
Last weekend, it gave them a 0.06% chance of qualifying for the Europa League. That has now fallen to 0% for both Europa League and Conference League football next season. According to Opta, the lowest-placed team with any chance of European qualification is 10th-placed Everton, who have a 0.39% chance of reaching the Conference League.
Newcastle are currently on 46 points, with games against relegation-threatened West Ham and Fulham remaining. Opta believes they could pick up 3.16 points from those two matches.
The supercomputer also predicts they will finish below Sunderland in the Black Cats’ first season back in the top flight, with the Wearside club expected to finish 1.04 points ahead of the St James’ Park outfit. Sunderland drew 0-0 with Manchester United on Saturday and still face two difficult tests against Everton and Chelsea.
What is on the line?
Ultimately, with European hopes now effectively dead in the water, the final two matches appear to be an opportunity for the team to build momentum ahead of next season.
The Toon Army saw signs of that against Forest, with Nick Woltemade operating as a No. 10 behind William Osula. While the Danish forward has been scoring regularly in recent weeks, it perhaps highlights the club’s intention to bring in a striker to play ahead of the German next season.
There may also be several other areas of the squad for Howe to tinker with, although his position appears safe despite the turbulent season Newcastle have endured.
In other news, ‘Only Human’: Shay Given’s emotional Elliot Anderson tribute after Newcastle United goal.
