Most Newcastle United fans would have snapped your hand off for a top half finish and a decent cup run back in August. However, the Magpies now know they will ply their trade in either the Champions League or Europa League next season after guaranteeing a top six finish this term.
The Magpies could only draw at relegation-threatened Leeds United during Saturday's early kick-off but Tottenham's defeat against Aston Villa hours later means Eddie Howe's side can't drop out of the top six between now and the end of May. The seventh-placed team in the Premier League will qualify for the recently-formed Europa Conference League, with West Ham United currently heavy favourites to win the 2022/23 version of the competition.
A top six finish for Newcastle represents a monumental achievement at this stage in their post-Mike Ashley journey but Howe has made it clear reaching the top four remains the aim for his high-flying Newcastle United as the rivals continue to fall by the wayside.
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"We're excited, that has to be our emotion," the Newcastle boss said before the Leeds clash. "We're looking forward to the challenges ahead, we're not in any way, I don't feel, daunted by it.
"In sport, sometimes the more you think the more you damage yourselves, so play the game. These players have played all their lives and played because they enjoy it, so let's strip away everything and let's just perform well in our next game."
Manchester United, Liverpool and Brighton, with their many games in hand, are the only teams who can overtake Newcastle between now and the end of the month. The Red Devils kept the pressure on with a win over Wolves on Saturday, while Brighton and Liverpool play on Sunday and Monday respectively.
Newcastle's blistering form has dipped somewhat in recent weeks but the goal remains the same. "I think we could [deliver in the Champions League]. I'm a big believer in as a group if we're on the same page and we're pulling in the same direction that will take you so far. It's so powerful," Skipper Kieran Trippier told the High Performance Podcast this week.
"I think it would be a great occasion for the lads to be playing Champions League football. But we've got a big game this weekend and we'll see what happens."
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