Moment of truth fast approaching

10 GAMES TO GO IN UNITED’S STRUGGLE AGAINST DROP

WHAT we have left are 10 steps to heaven or hell.

Newcastle United have 10 games left to save their Premier League status.

Otherwise it is another plunge into the Championship to play derbies next season with Middlesbrough and probably Sunderland.

Let me refresh your memory by listing Newcastle’s make or break games.

Coming up are Brighton away; Spurs home; Burnley away; West Ham home; Liverpool away; Arsenal home; Leicester away; Manchester City home; Sheffield United home and Fulham away.

You never know in football but all I can see are four games where United might have a chance of winning – Brighton, Burnley, Sheffield United and Fulham.

Two of those four are almost upon us, with Aston Villa out of the way last night, so it is now or never.

Brighton are our next opponents and, while they must be beaten because they are in the same relegation mix, we remember only too well now they dismantled United 3-0 up here.

They are a quality football side but they cannot score goals, which is why they are in the mire.

Burnley is then the next away game, another six-pointer, but they will be fighting and scrapping like mad because that is their style. Can United match them on attitude?

After that, Newcastle go into a fivematch run over three weeks where you can actually see them getting nowt.

I mean, West Ham who have done so brilliantly under David Moyes since losing to the Mags on the opening day, followed by Liverpool, Arsenal, Leicester and champions-elect City. All of which brings us to the final two games of the season – Sheffield United and Fulham.

Sure, I can see us beating the Blades up here because they will be down by then but we don’t want to go to Fulham for the final fixture in a winnertakes-all situation.

Our problem is Brighton, Burnley and Fulham seem to have a togetherness, a team spirit Newcastle do not. We have to play all three of them away. United could end up paying a huge price for the timidness they have shown at Bramall Lane and the Hawthorns. They claimed only a point out of six there and with the games to come that was a golden opportunity disgracefully wasted. Overall, Steve Bruce has had a nightmare second season.

He has spent his managerial career wandering through football’s landscape, never staying long in one place. Newcastle are his 11th managerial appointment and at six of those clubs he stayed for a shorter time than he has been here. What does that tell us? Newcastle United have for a long time ignored the obvious.

Mike Ashley simply does not want to know because he already has a parachute strapped to his back and it is not in Bruce’s interests to highlight the failings of the club long-term under his leadership.

However, the moment of truth is always just a short step away and now it is approaching rapidly.

Newcastle United have 10 games left to save their Premier League status Malcolm Macdonald