PERMUTATIONS FOR PROMOTION
NEWCASTLE United will secure promotion tomorrow night if they beat Preston North End at St James’ Park.
Huddersfield Town and Reading’s respective defeats yesterday means the Magpies can mathematically guarantee their Premier League status for next season with two games remaining should they secure victory on Tyneside.
However, even if Newcastle fail to beat 11thplaced Preston, they could still be promoted 24 hours later.
The Terriers travel to Molineux to take on Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday night and, should David Wagner’s men fail to win, Newcastle will be up, regardless of their result against Preston tomorrow night.
What’s more, should Newcastle lose against Preston and then Huddersfield win at Wolves, the Magpies can clinch promotion with victory away at Cardiff City on Friday night.
Reading’s 3-2 defeat against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground yesterday means Jaap Stam’s men can no longer finish in the top two, leaving it as a straight race because Newcastle and Huddersfield for the second automatic promotion slot.
The Terriers failed to reduce the seven-point gap to Newcastle yesterday, however, after they were hammered 4-1 at home by in-form Fulham, who appear to be the side to avoid in the Championship play-offs this year.
Brighton and Hove Albion have already guaranteed promotion to the top flight, but Newcastle still have slim hopes of pipping Chris Hughton’s men to the Championship title.
Newcastle are seven points behind Brighton with a game in hand, and the Magpies play twice more before the Seagulls’ next match. PERMUTATIONS FOR NEWCASTLE UNITED
The Magpies will be guaranteed promotion with two games remaining because they will have moved on to 88 points, a haul Huddersfield cannot reach.
Then the Magpies will move within a point of promotion, and could yet go up 24 hours later anyway – if Huddersfield Town fail to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers in their game in hand on Tuesday night.
Should Preston defeat the Magpies at St James’ Park tomorrow, Newcastle can go up 24 hours later anyway – if Huddersfield Town fail to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers in their game in hand on Tuesday night.