Sport

Newcastle United already big contenders for top four - with much more spending to come

Kenny Archer

Kenny Archer

Kenny is the deputy sports editor and a Liverpool FC fan.

Newcastle United's Miguel Almiron is a player transformed under manager Eddie Howe.
Newcastle United's Miguel Almiron is a player transformed under manager Eddie Howe. Newcastle United's Miguel Almiron is a player transformed under manager Eddie Howe.

THERE may have been in-match reasons for Kai Havertz losing his rag at the end of his club Chelsea's defeat at Newcastle United at the weekend but his frustration also undoubtedly personified the concern among the Blues – and a couple of big Reds too.

Given that Arsenal and Manchester City are almost certain to finish in the top four this season – the top two, let's be realistic – that means there are only two Champions League places up for grabs.

Just over a third of the way through the league campaign, Newcastle are in third, and looking good for the top four.

Averaging exactly two points per game, the Magpies are on a fine run of form – unbeaten in 10 Premier League matches, winning seven of those, conceding just five goals in that spell while scoring 22.

They've only lost once in the league, a last-gasp defeat at Anfield against Liverpool.

Those Reds, and the Red Devils of Manchester United, know they're in a serious battle to reach the Champions League when domestic action resumes after the World Cup.

The same applies to Spurs, even though they're in fourth place, and especially Chelsea, who are a point behind Liverpool and eight behind Tottenham, although the Blues and the Reds each have a game in hand.

Newcastle are attracting more attention than Arsenal, which those inside the Emirates Stadium will probably be happy about, even if it miffs some supporters.

This was always going to be a huge season for the Gunners. Basically, if they didn't make it into the Champions League they'd be in financial trouble.

Yet so far they have exceeded all expectations, even their own.

At present, they're on course to reach 100 points, a tally only ever achieved once, by Manchester City in 2017-18.

However, even doubling their current tally of 37 points will take Arsenal back into the Champions League, and with 24 matches to go that's a certainty.

City rightly remain favourites to retain the title, indeed to secure their first hat-trick of successes, but they are five points back.

Unlike Arsenal, Newcastle United don't have to worry about balancing the books any more.

Their takeover just over a year ago, largely funded by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia, means the long years of parsimony under Mike Ashley are over – and then some.

There tend to be two explanations for Newcastle's rapid rise, from the risk of relegation to climbing towards European football's top table:

Eddie Howe is just a brilliant manager and coach; or

Eddie Howe has had massive amounts of cash to spend.

Both those statements are bandied about, as if they're two different aspects of a debate.

But they're both pretty much true. Two sides of the same coin, if you will. A sovereign…

The source of the investment troubles many, even some Newcastle supporters, but on a purely financial assessment the Toon has been spending fairly freely.

In just two transfer windows, back in January and this summer, Howe has been able to spend E266m this year - without having to bring any money in. In other words, without having to let any players go, unless he's happy to sell them.

It's also worth remembering that he did have some quality to work with, including Allan Saint-Maximim, Joelinton, Callum Wilson, and Miguel Almiron.

Yet apart from the fairly large (E70m) expenditure on Alexander Isak, who was quickly injured anyway after a very promising start, Newcastle have been buying players only averaging around E25m each. Howe has spent very cannily indeed.

Net spend does matter. Even Manchester City have sold top players, including letting Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, and Oleksandr Zinchenko go this summer. Whether they come to regret selling those last two to Arsenal remains to be seen.

Still, it's obvious that City have a much better, more expensive squad than Newcastle – and so do Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Spurs.

This summer alone Manchester United spent E240m, including Antony (E95m), Casemiro (E70m), and Lisandro Martinez (E57m). That's adding to a squad which included Jadon Sancho (E85m), Raphael Varane (E40m), Donny van de Beek (E39m), and previous big money buys such as Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Fred, and Bruno Fernandes.

Chelsea lashed out even more, E282m, and new owner Todd Boehly would have brought even more players if they'd agreed to come to Stamford Bridge.

As it was, the Blues acquired Wesley Fofana (E80m), Marc Cucurella (E65m), Sterling (E56m), and Kalidou Koulibaly (E38m) among others; their sales only added up to the cost of Sterling.

It's hard to see how Chelsea's spending is sustainable, especially if they don't make it into the Champions League next season.

Spurs, supposedly in the tight-fisted grip of Daniel Levy, have spent E170m, E96m, E110m, and E148m on transfers over the past four seasons.

Liverpool have spent less, but they still laid out a reported initial E80m for Darwin Nunez, after spending E47m on Luiz Diaz in January and E40m on Ibrahima Konate in summer 2021.

Arsenal have boldly backed their boss Mikel Arteta, allowing him to spend around E385m while bringing in only E75m in sales.

The worry for everyone apart from Manchester City is this: Newcastle fans contend that their club has only been spending the money that previous owner Mike Ashley never paid out.

The new owners won't be able to pump as much money into the club as Chelsea were able to under Roman Abramovich, or Manchester City in the early years of their spending under Khaldoon al Mubarak.

However, Newcastle are already improving the infrastructure, and will surely spend more on players in January.

Newcastle have one other advantage over all their rivals for Champions League football: the absence of European football.

That lack of European involvement has helped, allowing much more recovery time between league matches compared to their rivals towards the top of the table.

However, Howe has clearly coached them very well too. Newcastle so far this season have been a brilliant combination of hard to beat (and very hard to score against), while scoring freely and widely, leading to big wins, a dozen different scorers in the league, and seven clean sheets.

The top two places belong to Manchester City and Arsenal, but Newcastle are right in the mix along with Spurs, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea.