Following a frustrating 0-0 draw at Wolves on Sunday, Champions League football returns to St James' Park on Wednesday night as an in-form PSV side arrive on Tyneside.
It's our penultimate game of the league phase and last chance to capitalise on home comforts before a tough trip to the holders PSG next week, increasing the need for a win if we wish to keep alive our slim hopes of a top 8 finish or secure our spot in the play-offs.
Before Tuesday night's games, we enter the gameweek sitting 12th with 10 points. Two behind the top 8 pace and four ahead of the chasing pack from 25th down, knowing any finish between 9th and 24th will secure a two-legged play-off match where the winner qualifies for the last 16.
Our start to 2026 has been steady. We've picked up seven points from a possible nine in the league and beat Bournemouth in the FA Cup, but a Carabao Cup defeat to Man City followed by a toothless 0-0 draw to bottom of the table Wolves has set up a big week at St James' Park, with PSV and Aston Villa both to come in another big week on Tyneside.
PSV will be no pushovers, mind. They are 16 points clear at the top of the Eredivisie, they're 13 games unbeaten in the league, haven't lost away since March last year and have racked up some impressive Champions League results so far, with a 6-2 win over Napoli and 4-1 win at Liverpool the highlights!
Speaking ahead of the PSV game and our push automatic qualification to the last 16, Howe said:
"It's a massive incentive (to make the top 8) because it means less games in a season that we've been stretched physically and mentally. The priority is to qualify however we do that. We're striving every game to maximise what we can deliver.
"The Marseille game still hurts us a bit because we were in a strong position in that game. We've got two games left and we have to commit to every game and try to win every game and see where it takes us."
Will Osula and Dan Burn resumed training today - good news after recent spells on the sidelines - but tomorrow's game will come too soon for the pair.
Jacob Murphy was rested at Wolves after hamstring fatigue forced him off early (again) in last week's cup clash with Man City, so it remains to be seen if he'll be fit to feature.
Fabian Schar and Tino Livramento are out long term, while Emil Krafth and Jamaal Lascelles look set to be absent once again.
Joelinton and Malick Thiaw are one booking away from a one-game ban, meaning both will miss next week's trip to PSG if cautioned.
IN: Miley, Ramsey, Elanga.
We beat Benfica and Bilbao to nil in our last two Champions League home games, but I think PSV will have much more of a go; and you'd expect them to based on their away form and 10 goals past Napoli and Liverpool across recent European meetings!
However, we're often a different animal under the lights at St James' Park and know this game will go a long way to deciding our league phase fate.
I'm predicting plenty of goals and another home win for Newcastle United.
Prediction: Newcastle 3-2 PSV
Howay the lads!
