These pivotal three and a half weeks to decide Newcastle United season direction | OneFootball

We always knew this 2025/26 season would be a huge challenge for Newcastle United.

The extra demands of a Champions League campaign, on top of the three domestic competitions.

A real balancing act for Eddie Howe and his Newcastle United players.

A lot of plates to be kept spinning when trying to compete on all fronts, always an ever present danger that by doing so, all the players end up smashing on the ground.

Obviously mixed fortunes so far with seventeen games played in total, eight wins and six defeats, with three draws.

The story so far…

Premier League

Three wins, five defeats and three draws leaving Newcastle United 14th in the table with 12 points from 11 games.

Champions League

Three wins and one defeat leaving United with nine points from a possible 12 at the halfway point in the Swiss League stage.

Carabao Cup

Wins over Bradford and Spurs have taken NUFC into the quarter-finals for a fourth season in a row.

These next three and a half weeks, eight matches, could take Newcastle United in very different directions…

Saturday 22 November – Newcastle v Man City (5.30pm) Sky Sports

Tuesday 25 November: Olympique Marseille vs Newcastle United (8pm) TNT Sports

Saturday 29 November – Everton v Newcastle (5.30pm) Sky Sports

Tuesday 2 December – Newcastle v Spurs (8.15pm) Sky Sports

Saturday 6 December – Newcastle v Burnley (3pm)

Wednesday 10 December – Bayer Leverkusen v Newcastle United (8pm) TNT Sports

Sunday 14 December – Sunderland v Newcastle (2pm) Sky Sports

Wednesday 17 December – Newcastle v Fulham (8.15pm) Sky Sports and ITV

Where we could go…

Premier League

Newcastle United are currently six points off fifth and a place in the Champions League, whilst at the same time only two points above the relegation zone.

There are 15 points to play for in the Premier League in that three and a half weeks period, what do you think we will get out of Man City (H), Everton (A), Spurs (H), Burnley (H) and Mackems (A)???

Three wins and two draws possibly? That would give Newcastle United 23 points after 16 Premier League games.

Champions League

Last season in the Champions League Swiss League stage, 16 points guaranteed top eight and an automatic place in the last 16 knockout stages, whilst 12 points guaranteed a place in the play-offs for those between 9th and 24th.

So with these two away games against Marseille and Leverkusen, one win would almost certain guarantee a play-off spot as a minimum, whilst two wins would take NUFC to probably needing only one point from their last two league games, to get a top eight finish.

Carabao Cup

Here the equation is very easy to see. Beat Fulham and it will be a third semi-final in the space of four years, then only a two-legged semi away from a third final in four years.

Needless to say, plenty could also go wrong in these next eight matches.