Analysing the Premier League relegation battle at the halfway stage

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18th – Newcastle – 17 points

I thank my lucky stars I’m not a Newcastle fan. It’s a perpetual cycle of hope and shattered dreams up on Tyneside and the fans deserve better. After years and years of underinvestment in the side, suddenly throwing nearly £50m at players with no experience of the Premier League is, at best, papering over the cracks. The potential is undoubtedly there, Mitrovic has all the tools to be a very good striker at this level and Mbemba has all the tools to be a superb defender. Florian Thauvin hasn’t had enough game time but arrived with a reputation as one of the brightest French talents. Potential they may all have, experience they do not.

Georginio Wjinaldum has been the standout signing and Newcastle’s player of the season so far. If the Toon can stay up – and Mike Ashley doesn’t shut the cheque book for another 3 years – you’d back them to kick on next season once these players have had 12 months to acclimatise to this League and its demands. However, that future is far from certain in this, the most unpredictable of seasons. From getting spanked 5-1 by Palace to beating Liverpool and Tottenham to drawing with bottom-of-the-pile Aston Villa to losing a game they deserved a point from against Arsenal. It’s a never ending soap opera up on Tyneside. For the fans if no-one else you’d hope they stay up.