The 2023/24 Premier League fixtures have now been confirmed, with Newcastle United beginning the new campaign against Aston Villa.
Last season produced one of the best Premier League campaigns in decades for Newcastle, with the Magpies ending the season in fourth place, securing their spot in the Champions League for next season. No team lost fewer games in the league than Eddie Howe's side last season, and the Magpies are expected to carry their momentum into the 2023/24 campaign.
It's a tough start to the season for Newcastle as they begin against Villa before facing Manchester City and Liverpool in the following two games. The Magpies face the same three sides in a row again between December and January, whilst Howe's side also take on Arsenal, Chelsea, Man United and Tottenham in the space of six games between November and December.
READ MORE: Newcastle United move to next phase of transfer plan with Sandro Tonali wage statement
So, how could Newcastle perform in the 2023/24 Premier League campaign? Let's take a look.
To set up this simulation, we used the Football Manager 2023 editor to update the Premier League with the latest teams, transfers and of course, the confirmed fixtures. Using FM23 to run the simulation, we then simulated the entire 2023/24 season to see how the Magpies got on.
Opening game: Newcastle 1-1 Aston Villa (August 12, 2023)
Newcastle faced a tough test against Aston Villa in their Premier League opener, and the points were shared as the Magpies drew 1-1. Alexander Isak opened the scoring in the 6th minute, but Douglas Luiz levelled the score in the 65th minute to hold Howe's side to a point.
Biggest win: Newcastle 6-0 Burnley (September 30, 2023)
The biggest victory of the 2023/24 season came against Burnley in September, with the Magpies battering the newly-promoted side 6-0 at St. James' Park. After entering the break 2-0 up thanks to goals from Joelinton and Kieran Trippier, braces from Callum Wilson and Fabian Schar secured the emphatic win.
Biggest shock: Sheffield United 3-1 Newcastle (September 16, 2023)
Just the week before their 6-0 win over Burnley, Newcastle suffered their biggest shock of the season, losing 3-1 to Sheffield United. It was a poor performance from Howe's side as they fell 3-0 behind, with Wilson grabbing the consolation late on.
Final game: Brentford 0-2 Newcastle (May 19, 2024)
Newcastle ended the 2023/24 season on a high, beating Brentford comfortably in the capital. Goals either side of half time from Miguel Almiron and Bruno Guimaraes secured the three points, topping off another good season for Howe's side.
2023/24 Premier League final standings:
With Newcastle involved in the Champions League during the 2023/24 season, the Magpies' current squad proved thin, with Howe's side struggling to maintain freshness over the course of the season. The Magpies underwent a period of draws and defeats between October and December, with Newcastle ending the season in sixth place.
18 wins, 13 draws and seven losses saw the Magpies pick up 67 points in the Premier League, four fewer than last season. They finished two points off fifth place, which would guarantee a Champions League spot under the competition's new rules for the 2024/25 season.
According to Football Manager 2023's Premier League simulation for the 2023/24 campaign, Newcastle could struggle to replicate last season's results whilst competing in three other competitions, showing squad depth may be needed in the summer transfer window. Howe's side found it difficult to pick up points alongside the Champions League group stages, but the fixtures towards the end of the season suited them, with seven wins falling in their final nine games.
What do you think of these Newcastle results for next season? Let us know in the comments below!
