Newcastle have to now be taken seriously as contenders for the fourth spot, and Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool should all be worried.
By Saturday evening if Newcastle win their game they will go above Arsenal, a situation nobody forecast last summer.
Even in late November, when they lost away to Manchester City, and at home to Chelsea, the end to their terrific start seemed nigh.
Manager Alan Pardew steered them through rocky patches including losses to Norwich and West Brom and now the side look rejuvenated despite the loss of Demba Ba until February.
In new signing Papiss Cisse, they have a man with all the potential to be equally explosive as Ba, and who had a better goals record in Germany.
With the pair of them firing in attack they could take Newcastle into the all-important fourth place spot. Do any side in the league have a better strike partnership?
Against Manchester United two weeks ago the side were outstanding and superior in every area, and crucially they seem set to hold onto key midfielder Cheik Tiote, after earlier concerns he could be flogged in January.
In Krul they have arguably the Premier League’s most in form goalkeeper, one of the meanest defences in the league and a midfield with a bit of everything, including two Frenchmen with the ‘X-Factor’ Yohann Cabaye and Hatem Ben Arfa.
Up front they have options beyond Ba and Cisse; Leon Best and Shola Ameobi have chipped in when needed and should keep them in the hunt until the Senegal pair return.
Their squad is more settled than Arsenal’s, Chelsea’s and Liverpool’s, with more cover in each position.
Assuming the two Manchester clubs and Spurs have the top three places wrapped up, it will be a straight fight between Newcastle and the aforementioned three for fourth.
It will come down to head to head matches, consistency, and goals, which Demba Ba and Cisse guarantee, so hopefully they return fresh and in form.
Cisse will take the pressure off Ba, and be eager to impress his new fans and both will give the rest of the club a lift when they arrive back at an important time in the final run-in.
If Newcastle do finish in the top four it will be a fantastic story, and Alan Pardew will be a shoe-in for manager of the season.
Champions League football may even be enough to ward the vultures off their top stars like Ba, Tiote and Krul.
Bookies are offering odds of 25/1 that they make the top four- that price is well worth a bet.
This Newcastle side is hard to beat and packed with talent, and have a good a shot now as any of their rivals.
If they make it, it will be no fluke, it will be totally deserved.
– Can Newcastle secure a top four place? Let us know what you think.
image: © StartAgain
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