, Newcastle United: destined for a Premier League return

Newcastle United: destined for a Premier League return

After a slow start to the season, Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle United have found their feet in the second tier of English football. The Magpies have won four games on the spin, keeping three clean sheets in the process.

In fact, Newcastle are now fighting it out near the top of the Championship table and supporters will be confident of securing promotion back to England’s primary division at the first time of asking.

On paper, Newcastle are streets ahead of their Championship rivals and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see Benitez’s men competing for the title at the end of the campaign. As of September 13th, the Magpies are priced at 6/4 to win the crown and plenty of Betway punters will be placing a double on Newcastle to go all the way with a Premier League winner in order to enhance the odds and maximise profit. At the very least, plenty of pundits and journalists believe that Benitez is the right man to take the Magpies back to the top flight – but it is easier said than done. Just ask Wigan Athletic fans…


The Magpies have struggled to inspire confidence defensively for quite some time but three clean sheets in a row should help to steady things at St James’ Park. Yes, this is the second tier of English football but it always helps to have a solid defensive unit – no matter what division you are competing in. And with the likes of Grant Hanley and Jamaal Lascelles at centre-half, Newcastle have enough class and quality to offer reliable protection to Matz Sels’ goal.

Newcastle were imperious when putting six past a sorry Queens Park Rangers side and Benitez will be expecting his team to continue their fine form in the run-up to the difficult festive period. Without a doubt, the Magpies have the strength and quality in attack to overpower their Championship rivals and they are a class above the rest of England’s second tier. Newcastle look destined for glory this season – they certainly looked like potential champions in the victory over QPR…

With Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dwight Gayle upfront, Newcastle have two of the very best strikers in the second tier of English football. Both players are very different but that gives Benitez the option to change and tweak his style in order to accommodate either player. For example, if Newcastle are set for a physical encounter, Mitrovic may be the man to lead the line. However, if they are expecting to dominate possession in a tight-knit affair, Gayle could be the better choice – Benitez will be more than happy with his two options.

Mitrovic, who joined Newcastle from Belgian side Anderlecht last summer, has matured into a fan favourite at St James’ Park and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see the Serbian star net plenty of goals this season. He scored the fifth goal in Newcastle’s triumph against QPR and it is only a matter of time until Benitez tries to fit both Mitrovic and Gayle into the Magpies starting line-up. After all, both men are capable of firing Newcastle to the title – it would be foolish to write them off.

Newcastle may have started slowly but the Magpies have hit their stride in England’s second tier. And on current form, it is hard to imagine Rafa Benitez’s men will fall short this season…

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