The key 11-day period that could make or break Newcastle United's season
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe afforded himself a laugh back in late August when he was asked if the week ahead would be "pivotal" as far as the Magpies' season was concerned.
The calendar read August 24 that day, but Howe understood the meaning of the question and why it was asked. Ahead of the trip to AFC Bournemouth, which was quickly followed by a trip to Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup, Howe's team were already being tested on the back of an underwhelming transfer window.
But it was a test that Newcastle passed with flying colours as they picked up a creditable draw away to Bournemouth after coming back from 1-0 down. And then Howe watched on as his team scraped through to round three of the Carabao Cup on penalties at the City Ground.
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Howe, with a smile, said then: "Yeah it's a pivotal week already! But every week is pivotal. We are entering a cup competition and we want to stay in it. We will look at that after this game. We have had only had one game and the early games set the tempo and energy, momentum."
Well just a couple of months on from Howe's words, the season has hit that "pivotal" stage again for Newcastle. It will kick off on Saturday against a steely Brighton side that sit above them on goal difference in the top-flight.
If the visit of Fabian Hurzeler's side to Newcastle is deemed a difficult test, perhaps it can be looked at as the perfect preparation for a two-legged contest against Chelsea. In what will be the Magpies' trickiest away game yet a week on Sunday, Howe's side will attempt to pick up a big result at Stamford Bridge.
Remember the corresponding fixture at Chelsea last season ended in a disappointing 3-2 defeat while there was also a Carabao Cup exit on penalties thrown in last term. Enzo Maresca has guided the Blues to fourth place very early in his tenure at Chelsea and two games in the space of three days against the ex-Leicester City boss will help define Newcastle's autumn period.
Nothing is decided in October of course, but for Newcastle staying in the domestic competitions is critical this term because the lack of European football means there are few excuses to get things right. But picking up four points from the next two Premier League games would give them an excellent chance of climbing into the top four and staying there, something they failed to do last season (unless you count being top after one game in August) as an injury-hit squad stayed outside of the coveted Champions League slots for much of the campaign.
The Magpies need to be going into November in a commanding position after tumbling away from Champions League and top four contention early last season. The truth is by December last season, hopes of qualifying for the Champions League were over by Christmas.
So staying in touch now is vital for Howe's team and three games in 11 days before the month is out can see Newcastle shape their own campaign by beating Brighton, getting something at Chelsea in the Premier League and then booking a slot in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.
Should Howe's team succeed in that little run of fixtures, there can be no questions asked about the start to the 2024/25 season which has so far featured just one poor result at Fulham so far.