Football Season Guide

Having won their first domestic silverware in 70 years and returned to the Champions League by finishing fifth in the Premier League, what more can anyone ask from Newcastle’s 2024/25 campaign? Only Mohamed Salah (29) scored more league goals than Alexander Isak (23), who also netted in their 2-1 win over Liverpool in the League Cup final. Newcastle have been relatively quiet in the transfer window. They may have parted ways with a few backup players and but they’ve kept their backbone intact so far, adding explosive winger Anthony Elanga to an already talented attack and Malick Thiaw to the defence. Yet, Isak’s future remains uncertain, with the Newcastle striker being absent from the pre-season preparations while pushing for a move this summer. A potential departure will be a blow, as the Sweden international is considered one of the finest strikers in Europe. Newcastle boasts one of the best and most complete midfield tridents in the league, with Bruno Guimarães, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton harmoniously complementing each other, allowing the Magpies to dictate the pace of games during the season. What Newcastle need to work on is their consistency. Although only three teams managed more victories than Eddie Howe’s side (20), their 12-defeat tally last season was the worst among the teams who finished in the top-eight. Only Spurs (five) recorded fewer draws than Newcastle (six).