Newcastle United’s list of problems this season is plentiful.
So much has been made about Newcastle United’s dreadful away form this season, while their inability to hold on to a lead has also frequently been discussed.
No one in the Premier League has lost more points from winning positions this season than Eddie Howe’s side (11).
If you could say ONE thing to this Newcastle United squad right now, what would it be?
Be brutally honest here. Personally, I’d ask them why they’re generally so bad at reacting to setbacks
That speaks to a worrying fragility, while plenty of onlookers have pointed to a mentality issue to explain their away form.
Newcastle are struggling to hold a lead this season but what’s equally as concerning is their inability to react to setbacks.
Newcastle United haven’t won a single point after falling behind in the Premier League this season
The resilience for which this Newcastle side have become famous under Howe has disappeared this season.
Indeed, no one in the Premier League has won fewer points after falling behind than Newcastle (0).
They’ve chased five deficits (vs Liverpool, Arsenal, Brighton, West Ham and Brentford) in their 14 games this season and haven’t won a single point from those games.
| Team | Points after falling behind |
| Crystal Palace | 1 |
| Liverpool | 1 |
| Burnley | 1 |
| Man City | 0 |
| Newcastle United | 0 |
| Wolves | 0 |
For context, Newcastle fell behind 21 times last season but ended up winning five of those games, drawing four and losing the other 12. In total, they reclaimed 19 points, the fifth-highest amount in the division.
Amid so much talk about the away form and throwing leads away, it certainly feels as if their capitulation this season after conceding first has been overlooked.
Another goal conceded in stoppage time, what is going on? 😡
The last time Newcastle United won a Premier League game after falling behind
Supporters have to go back as far as February to find the last game from which Newcastle claimed all three points after falling behind.
Howe’s side beat Nottingham Forest 4-3 at St James’ Park, with the hosts finding a way back into the game after Callum Hudson-Odoi opened the scoring on Tyneside.
They did claim a point down at Brighton in May having conceded first but it has been thin gruel other than that.
That is a concern. Aston Villa, who have been a positional rival for Newcastle over the last few years, are top of the list this season, having claimed 12 points after falling behind in a game.
This is a fragile team. They cannot seem to react and sort themselves out when conceding first, while they are also impossible to back when they do take the lead.
Howe insists he’s not too loyal to his players but those who are regularly starting are letting him down.
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