The 3 reasons why Newcastle will flourish in the Championship
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Newcastle United ended the season 18th in the Premier League, two points behind rivals Sunderland and safety.
Obviously, this is unacceptable for a club that has such a large fan base, with St James’ Park the fourth-most attended ground in the country this term.
However, supporters of the north-east outfit shouldn’t be too downbeat and there is enough to suggest they will thrive in the Championship.
Here are three reasons why Newcastle can afford to be optimistic:
Benitez
Both the Daily Mail and The Times have reported that they expect Rafael Benitez to remain as manager of the Tynesiders and this is a huge bonus for the Magpies.
The Spaniard ended the season on a six-match unbeaten run, winning half of those outings.
Furthermore, 13 of the team’s 37 points came in Benitez’ 10 games in charge and if this form would have been carried through the campaign, Newcastle would have survived comfortably and finished 13th.
Mitrovic
Aleksandar Mitrovic has become a popular figure on Tyneside, with his nine Premier League goals and eccentric personality winning over supporters.
The 21-year-old has recently spoken to Serbian media and revealed that, while many fantasise about representing the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid, Newcastle has always been his dream club.
This will see him remain at St James’ Park despite relegation and the forward is sure to prosper in the second tier.
He scored 44 times in all competitions across two terms at previous employers Anderlecht and will likely be even more threatening now he will be competing against defenders of a lower standard.
History
The past three seasons have seen whoever finished 18th in the top flight finish at least fifth in the following Championship campaign.
Additionally, only two sides to end up third from bottom have missed out on the play-offs in the previous eight campaigns.
Newcastle won this division back in 2008/09 and this came when they’d ended the previous term in the position they currently occupy.
