Newcastle United are a credible threat to any team in the Premier League, but they will seek improvement under Eddie Howe this upcoming season.
After securing Champions League football for last season, hopes were that the Magpies would kick on and become a consistent top-four side.
However, a culmination of injuries and inconsistent performances halted progress last year, resulting in a finish outside European places.
This season is an opportunity to recover from an underwhelming season and rebuild the positive work from the last campaign without the stress of a busy fixture schedule.
What is ahead for Newcastle this season? VAVEL is here to give you all the details with this extensive preview.
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2023/24 Season Recap
It was not exactly the utopic fantasy expected a year ago heading into last season for Newcastle fans.
The few months before that were the most optimistic the club has been this century, with a fourth-placed finish securing Champions League football under an energetic team and manager.
Therefore, the last season should be appropriately branded as two steps forward, one step back for this squad.
The taste of Champions League football was nectareous for the die-hard Toon, but the competition unquestionably affected their domestic campaign.
That 4-0 drubbing at home to Paris Saint-Germain will live long in the memory, but their overall performance in Europe will be forgotten in years to come.
Howe’s side was unlucky in Paris and genuinely should have qualified. Despite that, special, unforgettable nights were created in European cauldrons with group-stage games against AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund.
The fallout of being knocked out led to underperformance from key players and a culmination of painful injuries.
Disappointing results around the Christmas period including defeats to Nottingham Forest at home, Luton away, and Everton damaged hopes for a successful league campaign.
The season was by no means a disaster, nonetheless. A 3-0 derby win against Sunderland in the FA Cup and earning bragging rights is a joyous moment for any Newcastle fan anywhere.
Quarter-final appearances in both domestic cup competitions is a decent achievement and will be a target for improvement this season in a bid to bring a trophy to the Northeast.
Realistically, a finish in seventh is now below expectations for the Magpies since new ownership and European football is now a demand for a club expecting gradual improvement with bolstered resources, which caused frustration over the previous season.
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The transfer Window so far
It has been a painful transfer window for Newcastle at present, with PSR issues plaguing opportunities to attack the market.
The well-documented PSR rule could have meant point deductions for Newcastle, so players had to be offloaded to meet sustainable financial standards.
Holding on to key personnel was also a target, with Bruno Guimaraes staying after a release clause loomed over St. James’ Park for a month before expiry. It looks as if none of the figureheads will depart, despite rumours of Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak doing the rounds.
Incomings
With stricter rules on transfers in the Premier League, Newcastle have had to be strategic and careful with how they use their resources this summer.
The free transfer of Lloyd Kelly from Bournemouth marks that type of intelligent signing that improves depth in injury-ridden positions.
Goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos joining from Nottingham Forest is slightly bizarre with Nick Pope and Martin Dubravka already at the club, so that should be branded as a ‘PSR transfer’. John Ruddy joined on a free, also.
For statement signings, making Lewis Hall a permanent Newcastle player after his loan from Chelsea last season made sense. Hall showed bright sparks last season which included a goal at Old Trafford.
William Osula signed most recently from relegated Sheffield United to play as an understudy to Isak and Callum Wilson.
Newcastle will be hoping for more names through the door before the end of the window to strengthen their squad.
Outgoings
The beginning of the window saw the Magpies take a painful hit on two youngsters with a bright future to meet the previously mentioned PSR standard.
Two talented stars, Yankuba Minteh, who had a successful campaign at Feyenoord last season left for Brighton in a deal worth over £30 million, while young Scotsman Elliot Anderson departed for Nottingham Forest.
Matt Ritchie's recent departure to Portsmouth is the only other notable departure as Howe has managed to keep the elite stars.
Loris Karius, Paul Dummett and Jeff Hendrick all left after contract expiry at the end of the 2023/24 season.
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Strongest XI
Eddie Howe is expected to maintain the 4-3-3 formation which has complimented his style of play since becoming Newcastle's manager, but changes are expected in terms of personnel ahead of the opening game against Southampton.
If everyone remains available, this will be his strongest starting team.
Nick Pope; Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schär, Sven Botman, Lewis Hall; Bruno Guimarães, Joelinton, Sandro Tonali; Miguel Almirón, Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon.
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Eddie Howe
By Ollie Fitch
Eddie Howe will have been Newcastle's manager for three years in November, leading the club from the threat of relegation, towards European competition.
After leaving Bournemouth, a club he led from League Two to the Premier League following their relegation back into the Championship.
Following a playing career cut short due to knee problems, he became manager at Bournemouth at just 29 years old. Along with long-term assistant Jason Tindall, he led the club from the brink of financial collapse to Premier League football.
Not including a brief spell at Burnley, Howe spent 12 years at the helm of the Cherries and was reunited with former players, such as Callum Wilson, Matt Ritchie and Ryan Fraser when he took the hot seat in the north-east.
The Englishman, who supported Everton as a child, averages over 1.67 points a game for the Magpies and will be looking to guide the Toon back into European Football for the 2025-26 season.
Tactical Setup
Howe prefers a very fluid 4-3-3 system, modelled on Jurgen Klopp, who successfully used this formation during his nine-year stay at Liverpool. This formation will likely remain, however, we may see a few tweaks throughout the season.
The right-back is likely to be a constant attacking threat, frequently overlapping the right-winger, and getting crosses into the box, while the left-back, likely to be Lewis Hall at the start of the season, will invert into midfield, allowing the left-winger to drop deeper into pockets of space.
The central defenders will push high up the pitch, compressing the pitch, while the three in midfield will remain flat, with Bruno Guimaraes looking to dictate possession in the centre of the park.
The left-sided midfielder will be dynamic and look to overlap the left winger, outnumbering the full-backs on each side of the pitch, while the right-sided midfielder will complete the more dirty off-the-ball work, likely to be Sean Longstaff at the start of the season.
In attack, Alexander Isak, who will start the season as the main striker, likes to drop deep and get on the ball, allowing the wingers to move into his space. Isak scored 21 Premier League goals last year and is likely to score more this season if he can stay fit.
Out of possession, the Magpies press will suffocate teams, forcing turnovers in high areas of the pitch, before counter-attacking very quickly. The pace of Gordon, Isak and Jacob Murphy will be important in not allowing teams to control the ball, especially at St James Park.
The defence will play in a high line, despite a lack of pace through the middle, meaning that Nick Pope in goal will have to be alert when playing teams who like to play direct football.
However, the introduction of Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento will ensure that teams will not have much success going down either side of the Newcastle defence.
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The Full-Back Debate
By Alex Waters
Newcastle United have a host of players who are all poised to start the first game of the season at fullback. In the right-back position, it is yet to be known whether Eddie Howe will start captain, Kieran Trippier or the up-and-coming Tino Livramento.
Last season was a season to forget for England international Trippier, with individual errors and poor performances in some games.
It almost felt as if the pressure was mounting on him and Eddie Howe, with fans calling for the 40 million signing of Tino Livramento.
Livramento impressed in most, if not all of his features for the magpies, but Howe stuck by Trippier, which posed questions from fans, who were crying out for the Cobham academy graduate to start.
Towards the end of the season, an injury to Dan Burn paved the way for Livramento to start at left-back, where he heavily impressed.
However, also in the left-back position, Newcastle held the on-loan Lewis Hall, who was yet to feature. But, when an injury then came to Trippier, Livramento took up the right-hand side, with Hall occupying the left, where both came into their own and played brilliantly.
Now in the 2024/25 season, Eddie Howe is left with the task of choosing his full-backs again, and with Lewis Hall now being made permanent, the Magpies have made two signings at left-back with the other being Lloyd Kelly of Bournemouth.
Hall was impressive in pre-season with four starts, two clean sheets, one goal and one assist. Many Newcastle fans are crying out for him to start the opening day against Southampton; however, Howe may choose to play Kelly at centre-back and Burn at left-back or vice versa.
Hall offers a great attacking threat, significantly more than Burn or Kelly, however the latter may offer more defensive solidity and aerial presence both attacking and defensively.
On the opposite side, Livramento offers more pace and overall attacking threat, however, Trippier offers leadership and defensive solidity and is also a fantastic set piece taker.
Last season, Trippier got 11 assists, along with a goal and a further nine assists the year prior. Eddie Howe has also always praised how vocal Trippier is and what he offers on the mental side of the dressing room.
As third-choice options, Matt Targett returned to training after over eight months out with injury and Jamal Lewis also got minutes in preseason offering Howe further options at left-back.
On the other side, Emil Krafth is available for selection along with Harrison Ashby, however the latter is likely to be sent out on loan.
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Expected Finish – 6th
Newcastle will expect to bounce back into a European qualifying spot this season after an absence of those games will come this season.
The lack of fixture congestion while their direct competitors play in those tournaments will only favour Eddie Howe’s side, particularly in the first half of the season.
This will minimise injury problems for key players, which was a downfall in the second half of last season.
Therefore, the expectation will be on Tyneside that a finish hovering around the Europa League spot is not impossible, and a challenge for the Champions League is not impossible either, particularly if English sides perform well for the coefficient rankings.
More signings will be needed between now and the end of the transfer window for that belief to have a chance.
Despite that, with a passionate fanbase and a talented squad, the ceiling can certainly rise in the 2024/25 season for Newcastle.
