All eyes on Euro games for Magpies

NEWCASTLE United are firmly back in the hunt for Europe after taking 10 points from a possible 12 in the last two weeks and, as such, will be keeping a close eye on how their European counterparts perform on the continent this week.

How English sides get on in Europe this season will have a knock-on effect on how many Champions League spots are awarded to the Premier League next term, as well as deciding which league positions will earn Europa League and Europa Conference League football.

Liverpool and West Ham United both have European mountains to climb after losing 3-0 to Atalanta and 2-0 to Bayer Leverkusen respectively in last week’s Europa League quarter-final.

Those results, along with Arsenal and Manchester City drawing in their Champions League last-eight ties, leave England on the cusp of missing out on the added place at Europe’s top table due to their coefficient ranking.

Italy have all but wrapped up one of the two extra Champions League spots for the 2024/25 campaign with a coefficient ranking of 18.428. In terms of second place, Germany (16.785) have now leapfrogged England (16.750) in recent days. However, those numbers will likely change in the coming days.

Newcastle have their own battle on their hands when it comes to finishing fifth this season, currently sitting 10 points adrift with six games remaining.

One of UEFA’s lesser competitions is very much on the cards, however, but the Magpies could really do with their Premier League counterparts performing minor miracles later this week.

Liverpool look dead and buried after their heavy Atalanta defeat as the Reds travel to Italy in search of an Istanbul-esque comeback. Jurgen Klopp’s side suffered another loss on Sunday, however, losing to Crystal Palace at Anfield to cap off a miserable few days on home soil.

As it stands, Newcastle sit in sixth position, level on points with Manchester United who are in seventh and two clear of West Ham in eighth.

Eddie Howe was reluctant to entertain talk of a late top-five push for his side on Saturday, despite momentum gaining on Tyneside.