Newcastle's fixtures for the 2022/23 Premier League season have been officially confirmed, with Nottingham Forest, Brighton and Manchester City their first three opponents.
After a dismal first half to the season which saw Newcastle sitting at the bottom of the Premier League, a successful January transfer window and the arrival of Eddie Howe saw the Magpies surge up the table, eventually finishing 11th in the league. Now, Howe has his first summer transfer window with Newcastle, and the Magpies will be looking to build on their good form in the upcoming campaign.
The Premier League announced the official fixtures for next season at 9:00 AM BST on Thursday, June 16, 2022, and Newcastle have a mixed start to the season on paper. The Mapgies start the season at home against Nottingham Forest on August 6, whilst their first match against 'big six' opposition is on August 20 versus Man City.
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So, how could Howe's side perform in these games next season, and what will their standout results be? To try and predict the future, we simulated their entire 2022/23 season to try and see where Newcastle could finish in the Premier League next season.
Newcastle's 2022/23 Premier League fixtures simulated
To complete this simulation, we used Football Manager 2022 and updated the game with the latest teams, transfers, and most importantly, the updated fixtures for the 2022/23 season. Let's see how Newcastle played in some of their games next season.
Opening game: Newcastle 2-1 Nottingham Forest (Saturday, August 6, 2022)
Newcastle got off to the perfect start in the new season, beating newly promoted Nottingham Forest 2-1 at home. Forest took the lead in the simulation through Brennan Johnson early in the second half, but goals from Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson completed the comeback and secured the first win of the season for Newcastle.
Biggest win: Newcastle 3-0 Fulham (Saturday, January 14, 2023)
The Magpies scored three goals in a game on seven different occasions in the 2022/23 season, and the two times they kept a clean sheet was against Fulham and West Ham United. Goals from Ryan Fraser, Jonjo Shelvey and Joe Willock secured a 3-0 win against Fulham, with five of the times they scored three goals coming between April and the end of the season.
Final game: Chelsea 4-1 Newcastle (Sunday, May 28, 2023)
A 4-1 loss against Chelsea on the final day of the season saw the Magpies end the season on a low. Chelsea proved the toughest team for Newcastle in the simulation, losing the reverse leg 4-0 at home - the heaviest defeat of the season for Howe's side.
So, where did Newcastle finish in the Premier League? Did the Magpies push for the European spots or settle for a mid-table finish?
2022/23 Premier League final standings
In Eddie Howe's first full season in charge of Newcastle, the Magpies gained a higher points tally, but remained in 11th place. Howe's side earned 51 points over the course of the season, two more than the previous campaign.
Overall, according to Football Manager 2022's Premier League simulation for the 2022/23 campaign, Newcastle could improve on last season and could prove a difficult team to beat. The Magpies struggled against 'big six' opposition, but with a few new signings, they could push up the table and potentially challenge for a European spot.
Would you be happy with these results for Newcastle next season? Let us know in the comments below!
