Newcastle United's next five games compared to Euro rivals ahead of Man City and Liverpool clashes

Newcastle United remain firmly in the race for a place in European competition and some potentially pivotal fixtures lie in wait before a hectic season comes to a close in May.

Between now the end of the campaign, Eddie Howe’s side will face a number of sides in the battle for a top six spot and three of those fixtures will come inside the next fortnight as this weekend’s visit to reigning champions Manchester City is quickly followed by a home game with surprise package Nottingham Forest and a trip to current leaders Liverpool.

Although that challenging trio of fixtures will not decide the outcome of United’s challenge for Europe, they will dictate just how genuine a bid to get back into continental competition will be over the following two and a half months. But how do Newcastle’s next five games stack up against their top seven rivals and how difficult is each club’s run of fixtures over that time?

Who do Newcastle United and their European rivals play over the next five games?

1st: Liverpool (56 points)

12/2 Everton (A) 16/2 Wolverhampton Wanderers (H) 19/2 Aston Villa (A) 23/2 Manchester City (A) 26/2 Newcastle United (H) Average league position of next five opponents: 10.4

2nd: Arsenal (50 points)

15/2 Leicester City (A) 22/2 West Ham United (H) 9/3 Manchester United (A) 16/3 Chelsea (H) 1/4 Fulham (H) Average league position of next five opponents: 11.8

3rd: Nottingham Forest (47 points)

15/2 Fulham (A) 23/2 Newcastle United (A) 8/3 Manchester City (H) 15/3 Ipswich Town (A) 1/4 Manchester United (H) Average league position of next five opponents: 10.4

4th: Chelsea (43 points)

14/2 Brighton and Hove Albion (A) 22/2 Aston Villa (A) 9/3 Leicester City (H) 16/3 Arsenal (A) 2/4 Tottenham Hotspur (H) Average league position of next five opponents: 10.4

5th: Manchester City (41 points)

15/2 Newcastle United (H) 23/2 Liverpool (H) 8/3 Nottingham Forest (A) 15/3 Brighton and Hove Albion (H) 2/4 Leicester City (H) Average league position of next five opponents: 7.6

6th: Newcastle United (41 points)

15/2 Manchester City (A) 23/2 Nottingham Forest (H) 26/2 Liverpool (A) 10/3 West Ham United (A) 2/4 Brentford (H) Average league position of next five opponents: 7.0

7th: AFC Bournemouth (40 points)

15/2 Southampton (A) 22/2 Wolverhampton Wanderers (H) 25/2 Brighton and Hove Albion (A) 9/3 Tottenham Hotspur (A) 15/3 Brentford (H) Average league position of next five opponents: 14.4

8th: Aston Villa (37 points)

15/2 Ipswich Town (H) 19/2 Liverpool (H) 22/2 Chelsea (H) 25/2 Crystal Palace (A) 8/3 Brentford (A) Average league position of next five opponents: 9.2

9th: Fulham (36 points)

15/2 Nottingham Forest (H) 22/2 Crystal Palace (H) 25/2 Wolverhampton Wanderers (A) 8/3 Brighton and Hove Albion (A) 15/3 Tottenham Hotspur (H) Average league position of next five opponents: 11.2

10th: Brighton and Hove Albion (34 points)

14/2 Chelsea (H) 22/2 Southampton (A) 25/2 Bournemouth (A) 8/3 Fulham (H) 15/3 Manchester City (A) Average league position of next five opponents: 8.8

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