Eddie Howe’s future and Newcastle United’s season could be defined by next three home games

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Newcastle United’s next three games at St James’ Park will either make or break their season.

The unbeaten start to the season came to an abrupt end on Saturday afternoon with Newcastle United losing 3-1 after being outclassed by Fulham.

Newcastle now sit sixth in the Premier League table and have taken 10 points from five games, but the good results have disguised sloppy performances.

Position	Team	PlayedMP	WonW	DrawnD	LostL	ForGF	AgainstGA	DiffGD	PointsPts
5	ArsenalArsenal	4	3	1	0	6	1	5	10
6	NewcastleNewcastle	5	3	1	1	7	6	1	10
7	BrightonBrighton	4	2	2	0	6	2	4	8

Problems are starting to emerge, including the alarming number of shots conceded by Newcastle this season.

Eddie Howe is now under pressure to get Newcastle back on track, but the fixture list makes for tough reading.

Newcastle will have to step up for tough fixtures

After missing out on European football this season, there was hope around St James’ Park that Newcastle could return to the top end of the table just as they did for their fourth-placed finish two seasons ago.

Newcastle are still very much in the equation for a top four – or top six – finish after their good results, but the next three home games could prove to be pivotal.

Howe’s side are back in action next Saturday, and if Newcastle want to avoid a successive defeat they will have get a result when reigning champions Manchester City come to town.

City won 3-2 on their last visit to St James’ Park with Oscar Bobb scoring an injury-time winner for the visitors.

After that, a visit from Brighton is on the horizon. The high-flying seagulls are still unbeaten this season under young manager Fabian Hurzeler. They sit seventh in the league, just one point behind Newcastle.

It gets no easier for Howe after Brighton, with Arsenal the next team to visit St James’ Park on November 2. The Gunners have their sights set on the title and will settle for nothing less than three points.

However, Newcastle got the better of Arsenal on their last visit to Tyneside with Anthony Gordon scoring the only goal of the game back in November 2023.

Make or break for Eddie Howe

There has already been a certain tension around Howe’s job at Newcastle even with the good results this season.

A fallout between Howe and Paul Mitchell this summer has become an open secret after the club’s disappointing transfer window.

On top of that, Howe has been linked to the vacant England job with the FA identifying him as a top target.

READ MORE: ESPN pundit warns Eddie Howe that Newcastle have ‘huge problem’ in one ‘obliterated’ area

If Howe is unable to navigate Newcastle through what is a treacherous fixture list in the coming weeks, things could go poorly very quickly.

On the flip side, if Newcastle are able to turn their form around and kick into gear, results against City, Brighton and Arsenal could put the club in position to push on for a top-four finish. It all hangs in the balance.