Newcastle United would be even further down the Premier League table right now if it wasn’t for Ivan Toney’s Brentford.
The Bees beat Fulham on Monday night, meaning Marco Silva’s side missed out on the opportunity to jump above Newcastle.
A Fulham win would have dumped Eddie Howe’s side down to the depths of seventh, which would have been hard to stomach given where we were just a few weeks ago.
The Magpies have gone from sitting pretty in the top four to fighting just to qualify for any European competition.
Brentford’s win means Newcastle remain in sixth, but it is now incredibly tight from fourth down to ninth.
Ivan Toney helps Newcastle…for now
Ivan Toney, who Newcastle sold for £650,000 in 2018, scored one of the goals for Brentford, as they beat Fulham 3-2. It was a wonderful game full of chances, with Thomas Frank’s side coming out on top.
The result means they now have 38 points, but remain in ninth. They are now three points behind Newcastle, proving just how precarious our place in the European positions is.
We are still in the mix for Champions League, but there is also a possibility that we might not get Europe at all. Fulham, Brighton and Brentford are agonizingly close, and performing better than anyone expected this season. They will all have dreams of qualifying for Europe.
But Newcastle and the fans must not panic. We are still in command. With games in hand and winnable fixtures on the horizon, the Magpies must believe they can get their season back on track in the coming weeks.
This recent blip has caused concern among the fanbase, who are hurting after our recent slide and Wembley heartache. But we are still playing well – we just aren’t taking chances.
Last night’s result keeps Newcastle in sixth, but opens up the prospect of us sliding even further down the table in the long run. Brenford’s win was a good result for us short term, but it must focus minds at St James’ Park.
Howe will suddenly be looking over his shoulder, and will know that any kind of European qualification is going to be a real achievement this season.
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