Can Newcastle avoid relegation from this position?

Newcastle fans have been left distraught after a winless run of nine games sees them bottom of the Premier League.

Their 1-0 loss to Brighton on Saturday means Rafa Benitez’s side have now endured a worse start to the campaign than Steve McClaren’s relegated 2015/2016 team.

They have now also become only the third team in English-top flight history to lose their first five home matches.

Even more worryingly, it’s easily one of the worst starts to a season by any team in Premier League history.

Alarm bells will be ringing for Benitez and Newcastle, who desperately need to make things count against Southampton this weekend.

But is it all too late? Which teams have beat the drop after similarly woeful beginnings?

Which other teams have survived relegation after poor starts?

The bad news

Only four other teams in Premier League history have went without wins after nine games.

Of those four, only one team actually managed to beat the drop – Southampton in the 98/99 season.

The Saints were still in the relegation zone by April of that season. But somehow they miraculously survived after going unbeaten in their final five matches.

But Southampton were desperately lucky that season and Newcastle definitely shouldn’t be using that example as a template for success.

The good news

Plenty of teams in similar positions have turned around their seasons in the Premier League era.

Of the 24 times in which a team has failed to gain more than four points after nine games, only on 13 occasions has that team later been relegated. 

That stat implies Newcastle have around 50/50 odds of beating the drop.

But considering Newcastle have also had one of the hardest starts to a season in recent memory, there is plenty of hope they can turn it around.

Crystal Palace have famously been in a similar position both last season and in 2013/2014 with only one win in nine matches.

However on both occasions Palace were forced to bring in a new manager, Roy Hodgson last season and Tony Pulis in 2013.

It’s uncertain whether a new manager would improve things at Newcastle but most fans won’t even consider it an option given Benitez’s beloved status.

It’s likely going to be up to Rafa then to save the Toon’s sinking ship once again.

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