Newcastle United will look to follow the Sky Bet Championship’s common Boxing Day league trend by topping the table and going on to win promotion to the Premier League.
Every club who have been in first position on Boxing Day over the past 11 years with the exception of Derby County last season have gone on to win promotion to the top flight come May and with Brighton & Hove Albion not playing until Tuesday, Newcastle United have the job to continue recent history in the current campaign.
The last team to top the Sky Bet Championship table on Boxing day and not be promoted prior to Derby County’s failure last season was Ipswich Town back in 2004/2005 when eventual Play Off Winners West Ham United beat The Tractors Boys in the Play Off Semi Finals.
In 2014/2015, AFC Bournemouth had accrued 45 points on Boxing Day and went on to lift the title and with Newcastle United currently four points better off than The Cherries, The Magpies are well placed for a swift Premier League return.
Rafa Benitez’s side face Play Off chasing Sheffield Wednesday at St James’ Park this evening with The Owls themselves hoping to reach the end of season Play Offs and Carlos Carvalhal’s side will provide no easy challenge for the high flying Magpies.
Wednesday arrive on Tyneside in good form having won four of their last five league matches while the home side have bounced back to form themselves following defeats to Blackburn Rovers and Nottingham Forest with three straight wins and a mouth-watering clash in on the agenda at St James’ Park.
Source: footstats.co.uk
