A lot has been made of the impressive starts made by Brighton, Brentford and Leeds United, but Newcastle United have quietly put together a very respectable opening to the Premier League season.
The Magpies have collected eight points from their first five matches, including two victories, despite undergoing significant changes during the summer. Given the upheaval at St James’ Park, their start has arguably gone under the radar.
New manager Matthias Jaissle has inherited a very different squad from the one Eddie Howe worked with, while several important players have departed. Bruno Guimarães, Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali are among the high-profile exits, leaving many observers and football betting sites expecting Newcastle to struggle to match their previous performances.
So far, however, those concerns have not materialised.
Newcastle Have Made A Solid Start
Eight points from five games represents a solid return, particularly when considering the circumstances surrounding the club.
Newcastle have already recorded two wins against Tottenham Hotspur and Hull City, while their other three matches have produced two draws and a defeat. There is still plenty of work for Jaissle to do, but the early results suggest that Newcastle may be capable of remaining competitive despite their summer of change.
The question is whether their current position is sustainable.
One reason for caution is Newcastle’s underlying numbers. They currently sit bottom of the expected points table, suggesting that their results have been better than the performances underlying them might indicate.
New goalkeeper Lucas Hornicek has also faced more shots than any other goalkeeper in the division. That statistic highlights how much pressure Newcastle have been under during their opening matches and suggests that their defensive performances will need to improve if they are to maintain their position.
There Are Reasons To Be Optimistic
While the statistics provide some cause for concern, there are also plenty of reasons for Newcastle supporters to feel positive.
The most obvious is the number of players who have been…
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