Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola assesses the challengers to the Premier League title this season not only the traditional teams that have fought in the top flight in recent years. Clubs like Newcastle United can also surprise you.
Since being bought by a consortium funded by the Public Investment Fund from Saudi Arabia in October last year, Newcastle has slowly started to rise in class. Had languished in the relegation zone last season, The Magpies finally finished in 11th position in the final standings.
The arrival of manager Eddie Howe and the purchase of appropriate players in the two transfer periods managed to boost the player’s performance. This season, Kieran Trippier et al appear crazier than ever.
They have lost just one of their 13 Premier League games so far and have won six of them against Tottenham Hotspur. The six draws achieved are also commendable as they include against Manchester City and Manchester United.
Newcastle are known to have long-term plans to be able to compete in England and become a new power in Europe, but what they have done so far is beyond expectations. Guardiola also praised them.
“Newcastle have a good manager and top class players. I imagine they will be there (top) for a long time,” Guardiola said, quoted by the BBC.
“They have good physical strength in midfield, good box-to-box transitions and impressive off-the-ball intensity. They haven’t played in European competition either, which is a big advantage because they will be fitter in the final months of the competition. ,” explained Guardiola.
This is not the first time the Spaniard has highlighted that Newcastle have benefited from a lighter schedule. In the past, there were teams that won the Premier League because they had this kind of advantage.
Leicester City did it in the 201-16 season, then Chelsea in the 2016-17 season. Will Newcastle repeat the same feat at the end of this season?
(adp/pur)
