Newcastle United can take advantage of ticking Premier League time bomb amid Liverpool concern

Off the back of the final international break before March, Premier League clubs are preparing for the ever-unrelenting festive period. Between this weekend and New Year's Day, the calendar fills up with festive fixtures galore as players are pushed to their physical limit.

Newcastle United went into the forced break with a crucial 3-1 win away at Nottingham Forest - with Alexander Isak, Joelinton and Harvey Barnes getting on the scoresheet. The three points moved Eddie Howe's side into eighth place, just one point outside of the Champions League places.

With just over month to go until the new year and January transfer window, the Magpies have got nine fixtures to traverse as they look to move into the European places. This run of games also includes the Carabao Cup quarter-final at home to Brentford.

The league games show a favourable run for Newcastle with the only opponent ahead them in the table being Liverpool. Howe and co also come up against Crystal Palace, Ipswich Town and Leicester City, all of which are in a relegation battle.

Manchester United, Aston Villa, West Ham United and another clash against Brentford appear on the schedule to round out the year. With no European games adding to an already busy schedule, it gives a chance to catch-up to those that sit ahead in the table, with those in European competition facing a hectic and demanding period, including lot of travel.

The top four, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal, all have to navigate through fixtures into double-figures by the first day of 2025 and will find no respite with midweek games all the way through. Only Pep Guardiola's side have ten games to compete in whilst their rivals have 11 to play, owing to the League Cup and European competitions.

This could present an opportunity for Newcastle to start closing the gap and possibly overtake some of these side's as they look to reclaim a spot back in the UCL.

Liverpool and Arne Slot are preparing for a minefield of difficult contests as they look to keep their impressive lead at the top of the Premier League. They face, alongside the Magpies, Manchester City, Everton and Tottenham, whilst also welcoming Real Madrid in the group stage of the Champions League.

When it comes to the blue side of Manchester, they have the top-of-the-table clash with the leaders as well as difficult games against Spurs and Manchester United. They need points as they look to retain the league title, but are coming off the back of four successive defeats.

Chelsea also have to face off against Ange Postecoglu's underperforming side. However, they have a slightly advantageous run-in with fixtures against teams in the bottom half of the table.

As for Arsenal, they will take on fifth-placed Nottingham Forest and Ruben Amorim's Manchester United as they head into the end of the year. Like Manchester City, Mikel Arteta's side will be determined to put an end to their run of recent bad results.

The aforementioned Forest have just the eight games before the January transfer window open, as do Brighton and Fulham - who all sit just above Newcastle. So, Howe will be hoping that those three teams create an opening for his side to bypass them in the table.

The end of November and month of December could prove to be crucial in starting to shape how the Premier League will end up in May. And maybe, it could be the platform for Newcastle United to define their campaign.

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