Newcastle United celebrates best start to season in 13 years – Here is the proof

What do you think of Newcastle United’s start to the season?

Personally, I think NUFC did quite well.

Not brilliant, not terrible.

Only in short phases did the attacking game click.

However, the defense, commitment and motivation of the players were first class.

This was shown better than in the season opening game.

Newcastle United claimed to have made an “easy” start to the season in these games before the first international break, starting with their home game against Southampton.

A man who was sent off after 28 minutes when the game was goalless, only to play a further 73 minutes, keep a clean sheet AND score a winning goal is simply outstanding. Although it is strange and predictable that some Newcastle United fans in the media are unwilling to acknowledge this as a great result and (fighting) performance against all expectations.

An away game against Bournemouth is rarely a pleasant experience for Newcastle United and most other Premier League clubs. United started and finished the game well but were weak in the middle. In the end, a series of top-class saves from the home goalkeeper, who was voted man of the match, denied them the win.

Newcastle were handed the toughest draw possible (and their eighth domestic away draw in a row!) of the clubs United could have faced in the northern half. Again Newcastle were the better team from the start and finished the 90 minutes as the better team, despite not being so good in the middle. They then held their nerve to progress on penalties in the Carabao Cup.

Finally, against Tottenham, fifth in the table last season, Newcastle United again struggled to get forward consistently, but they still managed to create the better chances, converting two of them and Isak should have scored a penalty. Once again, the desire and commitment to the cause was great.

The net result is: four games played, three wins and one draw, no losses. Five goals scored and three conceded.

But where does Newcastle United stand compared to the first four games of the last season?

Newcastle United starts the season – The last 14:

2024/25 – 3 wins, 1 draw, 0 losses, GF 5, GA 3

2023/24 – Won 1 Draw 0 Lost 3 GF 7 GA 7

2022/23 – Won 2 Draw 2 Lost 0 GF 7 GA 4

2021/22 – Won 0 Draw 1 Lost 3 GF 4 GA 8

2020/21 – 3 wins, 0 draws, 1 loss, 10 GF, 3 GA

2019/20 – Won 1 Draw 0 Lost 3 GF 3 GA 5

2018/19 – Won 0 Draw 1 Lost 3 GF 3 GA 7

2017/18 – Won 1 Draw 0 Lost 3 GF 5 GA 6

2016/17 – 2 wins, 0 draws, 2 losses, 6 GF, 4 GA

2015/16 – Won 1 Draw 2 Lost 1 GF 6 GA 5

2014/15 – Won 1 Draw 2 Lost 1 GF 4 GA 5

2013/14 – 2 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss, 1 GF 3 GA 4

2012/13 – 2 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss, 4 GF, 4 GA

2011/12 – 3 wins, 1 draw, 0 losses, GF 5, GA 2

That’s right, 2024/25 is Newcastle United’s best start to a season since 2011/22 13 years ago. That season, United finished fifth and just like that season, Newcastle started with three wins and a draw, scoring five goals but conceding one fewer than this season. A goalless draw at home to Arsenal, then Ryan Taylor’s 1-0 over-the-wall win at Sunderland, plus a 2-1 home win over Fulham in the Premier League and in the League Cup, a 2-1 win at Scunthorpe after extra time.

In fact, in the twelve years prior to this season, Newcastle United had only managed to win three of their first four games of the season once.

These statistics are actually a typical fluke from Steve Bruce.

Due to the Covid-19-related extension/division of the 2019/20 season, the 2020/21 season did not begin until September 2020.

As a result, they crammed three rounds of the League Cup into three consecutive weekdays in September 2020. So two of those three games came in Newcastle United’s first four games of the season – a fluke against Championship side Blackburn, who dominated at St James’ Park but lost to our only shot on target of the night (big Ryan Fraser scored a rare goal); then followed that with a 7-0 away thrashing at fourth division side Morecambe to move into the fourth round (the next week was an away game at weaker Newport County, another fluke, we were behind for most of the game, Shelvey scored very late and then won on penalties).

For Brucey, the 2020/21 season began surprisingly with a 2-0 win at West Ham, followed shortly thereafter by a 3-0 home defeat to Brighton.

Anyway, back to the present and Newcastle United’s BEST start to a season since 2011.

Nobody is saying the start to the season has been perfect, BUT Newcastle United have not surprised anyone.

They have been in and out but have defended well and still managed to create a considerable number of good chances in their last three games and scored that excellent winning goal from Joelinton in the opening game.

Considering that all the injured players are missing and others are not yet fully fit, plus those who are obviously not fully up to it after the long summer break due to international duty, and that Tonali and Schar are missing games due to suspension, this start to the season for Newcastle United has been an outstanding performance for me.