The fixture list for the end of season run-in has given Newcastle United two advantages on their fellow bottom six clubs.
The fight to avoid relegation from the Premier League this season looks set to be between the six clubs currently propping up the table - Burnley, Newcastle, Brighton, Fulham, West Brom, and Sheffield United.
The make-up of the end of season fixtures puts some clubs at a disadvantage compared to the others.
West Brom, for instance, are the only one of the bottom six sides who won’t face one of their relegation rivals.
In fact, the club’s opponents have an average current league position of 8.9, which is higher than those of any of the other bottom six clubs.
Brighton have the next highest average at 9.2, followed by Fulham at 9.4, Newcastle at 10.3, Sheffield United at 11.0, and Burnley at 11.2.
Newcastle benefit from not only having one extra game than some of their fellow strugglers, but also from the fact that they are set to face four of them - Brighton, Burnley, Sheffield United, and Fulham.
Burnley and Sheffield United face three of the bottom six each, while Brighton and Fulham face two of them each.
Of course, the Magpies have to quickly change their form, starting against Aston Villa tonight.
And they will again have to do so without injured trio Callum Wilson, Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron.
