The situation at Newcastle United at this moment in time is rather bleak, but far from disastrous.
Steve Bruce’s men find themselves in 15 th place in the Premier League table, seven points above the relegation zone with more than half of the season left to play.
The past few results have only increased the pressure on Steve Bruce’s shoulders, and he will know that performances will have to improve if Newcastle are to avoid falling down the table.
It’s not just Newcastle that are struggling, though, with several other teams still fighting to avoid dropping into the bottom three and being to the Championship.
With more than half of the season still left to play, the next few games could well provide a clearer picture of who could be spending life in the second tier next season.
So how do Newcastle’s fixtures stack up against some of their relegation rivals, and are there some dates to look out for which could decide Bruce’s future at St James’ Park?
Between now and the middle of February, Newcastle have five league matches, and each of them carries a significant amount of weight.
While Newcastle aren’t facing any of their direct competition for relegation in that time, they still present opportunities to climb the table and out of reach of their rivals.
Starting off with the rearranged game against Aston Villa this weekend, before travelling to Merseyside to face Everton a week later. These two games will not be easy, but Bruce’s men have thrived in tough circumstances before this season, most recently with the draw at home to Liverpool.
Back to back home games against Crystal Palace (Feb 2) and Southampton (Feb 6) follow, before venturing south to take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on February 13.
But what about their rivals? Here is a rundown of some of the big games for Newcastle’s direct competition to avoid relegation.
January 20
Fulham vs Man United
January 21
Liverpool vs Burnley
January 26
West Brom vs Man City
January 27
Burnley vs Aston Villa
Brighton vs Fulham
Man United vs Sheffield United
January 30
Man City vs Sheffield United
West Brom vs Fulham
Chelsea vs Burnley
January 31
Brighton vs Tottenham
February 2
Sheffield United vs West Brom
Burnley vs Man City
Fulham vs Leicester
February 3
Liverpool vs Brighton
February 6
Burnley vs Brighton
Tottenham vs West Brom
Sheffield United vs Chelsea
Fulham vs West Ham
February 13
West Brom vs Man United
West Ham vs Sheffield United
Brighton vs Aston Villa
Crystal Palace vs Burnley
Everton vs Fulham
While the next few weeks will be important for Newcastle, they are just as vital for their nearest rivals. Just like the Premier League title race, the battle to avoid relegation is equally as competitive, and there will be a host of teams that will still feel that their safety is far from secured.
Given the fixture list is entering yet another intense phase, Bruce will find himself under pressure to make sure that points and results flow in a pleasing manner to help steer Newcastle clear of the drop zone.
Were that not to happen, then some of the dates that have been mentioned could well decide whether or not he has a future at St James’ Park.
It all begins against Aston Villa this weekend, and three points would certainly go a long way to changing the current mood that surrounds the club.
