Comparing Newcastle’s astonishing PL form to the halfway stage last season

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Eddie Howe celebrates after the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Fulham at St James' Park, Newcastle, January 2023.

Michael Lee
17th January 2023

Newcastle United have been a revelation in the 2022-23 season and find themselves third in the Premier League after 19 games, which is in stark contrast to their record after half of the 2021-22 campaign.

Newcastle climbed back above Manchester United after a nail-biting 1-0 home win over Fulham, extending their unbeaten league run in the top flight to a club record-equalling 14 courtesy of a fifth successive clean sheet.

Eddie Howe’s side last suffered defeat in the league on the last day of August, courtesy of a last-minute winner for Liverpool at Anfield.

And, having also reached the Carabao Cup semi-finals, Newcastle are currently on cloud nine with Howe praising his team following their latest victory.

“It’s been a really good first half of the season for us,” the Newcastle boss said after the Fulham game. “We’ve improved from the start of the season to now. I think there’s still more growth in the team to come.

“But the challenge only gets harder.”

Before the serious business of securing European qualification and winning Newcastle’s first piece of domestic silverware since black-and-white television gets underway, it’s worth highlighting just how far the club has come in the last 12 months.

After 19 games of the 2021-22 season, Newcastle were marooned in the relegation zone having one just once in the Premier League.

Beating Burnley after the start of December seemed like the moment that’d kickstart Newcastle’s campaign, but three successive defeats soon extinguished that hope.

After holding Manchester United to a Christmas draw, Newcastle had obtained 11 points from 19 matches and kept just a single clean sheet between August and December 2021.

We’ve crunched the numbers to compare Newcastle’s astonishing 22-23 campaign to date with the bonfire that was the first half of 2021-22 under Steve Bruce and Howe.

2022-23

Games Played: 19
Wins: 10
Draws: 8
Losses: 1

Points: 38

Goals Scored: 33
Goals Conceded: 11
Clean Sheets: 11

Expected Goals: 35.9
Expected Goals Against: 20.24

League Position: 3rd

Carabao Cup Performance: Semi-Finals* (beat Tranmere Rovers, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and Leicester City)
FA Cup Performance: Third Round (lost to Sheffield Wednesday)

*Newcastle are still in the Carabao Cup.