Newcastle United roundup: Magpies ninth after five games ahead of October double-header

Newcastle United round off September ninth in the Premier League table, an eight-point return from five games leaving them lodged in the congested middle of the pack — and with October offering a trip to Coventry City and a home date with Aston Villa.

Where the Magpies stand

According to the Premier League table, Newcastle have won two, drawn two and lost one of their opening five matches, scoring nine and conceding nine for a goal difference of zero. Their form line reads WLDWD — the most recent entry a 2-2 draw with AFC Bournemouth. Eighth-placed Hull City are level on eight points but sit above Newcastle on goal difference, while Chelsea trail by a point in tenth.

Results on record

The three results on FanTribe's books so far:

• Newcastle United 2-1 Hull City
• Leeds United 4-1 Newcastle United
• Newcastle United 2-2 AFC Bournemouth

The 4-1 defeat at Leeds — who currently sit fifth — is the blot on the copybook, while Hull were seen off 2-1 on home soil and Bournemouth left with a share of the spoils.

Who is scoring the goals

A. Elanga leads Newcastle's scoring charts with two goals, according to the top-scorer data, ahead of a cluster of players on one apiece: Bazoumana Touré, H. Barnes, J. Ramsey, Joe Willock, Lewis Hall and Yoane Wissa. There is no reliance on a single marksman — the goals have come from across the squad.

Next up: Coventry away

Newcastle return to action on 12 October with a trip to the Coventry Building Society Arena. Bookmaker odds via api_football, as of 20 September, make Newcastle favourites at 2.1 — a bookmaker-derived implied probability of about 45% — with the draw at 3.53 and a Coventry win at 3.3, implying 27% and 28% respectively. The table has Coventry 18th on three points and nursing four straight defeats.

Then Aston Villa at St James' Park

On 17 October, Aston Villa — 16th with four points — visit St James' Park, and the market again fancies the hosts. Newcastle are 2.1 for the win, a bookmaker-derived implied probability of 45%, with Villa at 3.2 (30% implied) and the draw at 3.82 (25% implied).

The FanTribe angle

FanTribe's prediction data shows how the points are weighted for both fixtures. At Coventry, a Newcastle win is worth 42 points, the draw 71 and a home win 66. Against Villa, a Newcastle win earns 42 points, the draw 76 and an away win 64. With the market rating Newcastle favourites in both games, FanTribe players who back the draw or the upset stand to collect substantially more if their pick lands.

Two favourites' tags, then, and a genuine opportunity to climb from ninth — but a 45% bookmaker-derived probability is just that: a probability, not a promise.