Newcastle United have a tough run of fixtures upcoming which could rattle their promotion hopes.
Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez
Newcastle United may be odds on to secure automatic promotion to the Premier League, but they have a rocky road to negotiate over the coming weeks.
For teams battling to catch them up and knock them down into the play-offs like Leeds United, there has to be real hope that Rafa Benitez’s heavily favoured side could come unstuck.
Leeds are in fourth and are nine points back from Newcastle at present. If results over the next three matches go against them, the Whites may just have a chance of catching them, and have to believe after the Toon dropped points at home to Bristol City this past weekend.
Firstly this week Newcastle travel to leaders Brighton and Hove Albion, who have a formidable home record once again this season.
Days later, Newcastle are away to Huddersfield Town, who beat the Toon at St James’ Park earlier this season and currently sit in third place.
Another tough test of Benitez’s side’s credentials come on March 7 when Newcastle have another away game, against Reading.
While Newcastle could go and win all three of them, this in itself would be a boost for Leeds, and it would mean three of their other promotion rivals dropping points instead.
Garry Monk manager of Leeds United
After Leeds beat Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend they can look up the table instead of over their shoulders, and have a winnable stretch of fixtures over the next three games themselves.
They are away at struggling Birmingham, at away to Fulham – a tricky test but one they will fancy, and at home to QPR.
After that it gets tougher with matches against Brighton and Reading, but by that stage their fortunes could have taken on a different meaning, if Newcastle fold over their next three matches.
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