Newcastle United have five huge games left this season.
While this has already been a campaign that will go down in Newcastle United history after they ended a 70-year wait for a major domestic honour, there is still a huge amount to play for.
Indeed, Newcastle are third in the Premier League and are currently on course for a return to the Champions League.
However, the race is tight, and the Premier League table is even more congested after a weekend during which Newcastle lost 4-1 to Aston Villa.
Qualifying for the Champions League would be a major boost for Newcastle. Though there is little to suggest any of their top players would push for a move without it, being able to offer it to them would no doubt strengthen their case on that front.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  LiverpoolLiverpool | 33 | 24 | 7 | 2 | 75 | 31 | 44 | 79 |
| 2 |  ArsenalArsenal | 33 | 18 | 12 | 3 | 61 | 27 | 34 | 66 |
| 3 |  NewcastleNewcastle | 33 | 18 | 5 | 10 | 62 | 44 | 18 | 59 |
| 4 |  Man CityManchester City | 33 | 17 | 7 | 9 | 64 | 42 | 22 | 58 |
| 5 |  ChelseaChelsea | 33 | 16 | 9 | 8 | 58 | 40 | 18 | 57 |
| 6 |  Nottm ForestNottingham Forest | 32 | 17 | 6 | 9 | 51 | 38 | 13 | 57 |
In fact, Newcastle could earn £17million by qualifying for the Champions League, which would help further balance the books when it comes to the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
Clearly, they aren’t alone in that. The money the Champions League would bring in would obviously help any club around, no matter their PSR position.
Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville believes the desperation to get there just to help with PSR is a “sad” reflection on the modern game.
Gary Neville reacts to Newcastle United’s bid for the Champions League
Qualification for Europe’s club competition obviously brings more benefits than solely the financial one.
Still, it can hardly be doubted that the money banked by reaching it would be a massive help in a PSR world.
Neville believes the “desperation” that PSR rules have created to get there is “sad”.
“The Champions League has always been big,” he said on The Gary Neville Podcast.
“But because of PSR now and the financial sort of position that a lot of these clubs find themselves in, we know that Villa and Newcastle and other clubs are under pressure with these £60-£70million Champions League pots that come their way.
“It’s become almost huge. It’s incredible, really. Sad in some ways, I think that this desperation to get in there.
“I think a lot of the clubs are dependent on it. It’s unthinkable that [Manchester] City wouldn’t be in the Champions League and I think they will get in to there.”
How Newcastle United feel about their PSR situation
Luckily, Newcastle insiders believe they can spend this summer, having seemingly come through the very worst of their issues with PSR.
Newcastle were forced to sell Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh last summer but, fortunately, it seems as if the situation is no longer quite as pressing.
Either way, however, Newcastle need to qualify for the Champions League.
They have top players being linked with other clubs on an almost constant basis. By getting back to the top stage of European football, they’ll surely be keeping them happy.
There are five games left. Newcastle have to be at their best.
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