Newcastle's Champions League Dreams Rekindled

Thomas Vermaelen's last-minute winner at the Emirates Stadium last month should have been the death knell for Newcastle's top four hopes. The team seemed to be swooning from its season-long stay in the dizzying heights near the league's apex. It was as the pundits had been predicting all season. Newcastle United was a surprising team, with a few talented players, but finishing in seventh place was about the best fans could hope for.

But in this most improbable of seasons, Alan Pardew and his squad have once again failed to read the script. With five games to go in the season, it is basically a three-team scramble for fourth place, and the Champions League glory that comes with it. A look at the combatants:

Tottenham (59 points, +19 goal difference)

A show of hands: who honestly thought Newcastle would catch Spurs in the table after getting embarrassed at White Hart Lane in February? Two weeks later, Arsenal throttled their North London rivals and ended any hopes of winning the league. Since then, it has been a downward spiral for Tottenham. A vocal subset of the fans are through with Harry Redknapp. He doesn't seem enamored with the supporters either, hinting that outside pressure forced him to change formations for Monday's loss to Norwich. The last five games look easy on paper, with Fulham the only opponent in the top half. Of course, the two Easter games were supposed to be easy ones as well.

Chelsea (57 points, +18 goal difference)

After a very lucky escape against Wigan on Saturday, including a goal by the very offside Branislav Ivanovic, Chelsea fell behind Newcastle two days later. The departure of Andre Villas-Boas has not done much to help the Blues' inconsistent play, as the weekend results show. But the bigger issue for Chelsea may be fatigue, with semifinals in both the FA Cup and Champions League sandwiched around their next two Premier League matches. Newcastle was supposed to travel to Stamford Bridge on Saturday, but that game has been moved to May 2, the second of three league tilts for Chelsea that week.

Newcastle (59 points, +8 goal difference)

During the Red Sox World Series run in 2004, pitcher Curt Schilling would walk around in a T-shirt that said, "Why Not Us?" That's exactly the attitude that has propelled Newcastle forward in the last few weeks. Unburdened by media hype and financial pressure, Pardew has built a tight-knit group with several excellent players in the starting eleven. And even when some of those players have been missing, once-ridiculed reserves like James Perch have produced match-winning performances. 

Unlike Tottenham or Chelsea, Newcastle's leading lights are in world-class form. How much would either be willing to pay for Papiss Cisse or Hatem Ben Arfa right now? The schedule will be difficult: Manchester City and Chelsea will likely still have something to play for, and Everton is on its annual end-of-the-season tear. But this team has had so many chances to fold throughout the season, and each time seems to come back more determined than ever.

Liverpool can do Newcastle a huge favor tomorrow. A win in the FA Cup semifinal would virtually guarantee a place in the Europa League and set up a dream scenario. Five games, nothing to lose, and the Champions League beckoning. Why not us?

Comments

[Toon Fan in MN]

The Spuds seem the most likely to fall forward into the CL over us with their softer schedule. But I agree, it does look easy _theoretically,_ and the fact that they will play their easiest opponents on the road leaves plenty of room for failure. Hopefully.

I love this #@!*ing team!

HWTL

[Mathew]

I actually see Spurs having a harder run. they have Chelski followed by two road games against relegation battling teams. At the end of the season on the road those games are hard fights.
I love the comparison to the SOX and the why not us slogan! Let's Go Lads, Geordies!!!!

[Bob]

I'll take "why not us" over "why always me" any day. lolz

[Rob]

I agree with the last 3 sentences. The Liverpool match tomorrow is one of the biggest matches of the season for United. True faith never wavers!

[Cegc]

I fail to get it - how does Liverpool winning the FA cup semis helping us?

[Bob]

The winner and runner-up in the FA Cup get Europa League berths. But Liverpool already has a Europa League spot by virtue of winning the League Cup. Which means a Europa League spot is now open instead for the 6th-place team in the Premier League. Which Newcastle has all but sewed up.