Having not seen Champions League nights at St. James’ Park since the 2002/03 campaign, it is somewhat difficult to gauge how successful Eddie Howe’s team may be in the competition next season. While Newcastle have no recent track record of European, let alone Champions League football, this season’s results against the 2021/22 Champions League qualifiers (Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham) are a promising indication of the success Newcastle may find in next season’s UCL. Having beaten Chelsea, Tottenham (twice) and being one of only two teams to score thrice against Manchester City this season in a 3-3 draw, Eddie Howe's men have without doubt proved they can fare well against teams of Champions League calibre.
As the run-in of this year’s campaign dawns upon Eddie Howe’s men, three of their remaining five games will be played against teams in the bottom half of the table (Leeds, Leicester, Chelsea). With Manchester United and Tottenham dropping points in recent games, Newcastle have ample opportunity to secure UCL football for the first time since the 2002/03 season, in which the magpies were led to Europe’s premier club competition by the late great Bobby Robson. So, are Eddie Howe and Newcastle ready for the Champions League challenge? Only time will tell how they may fare, but this season’s results without doubt offer a promising indication of the club’s direction, and the chance for Champions League nights under the lights at St. James’ Park to be a distant memory no longer.