There is justice in football. After playing excellent throughout the season, Newcastle United came to the end of the season looking over their shoulders, as both Manchester United and Liverpool were right behind them, threatening to push them back out of the Champions league place, but in the end, everything finished well – Magpies have made it! For the first time since 2002/03 season, Newcastle United will play in the UEFA’s strongest competition, either from the third or the fourth spot, depending on the results on the last day of the Premier League. After Liverpool drew with Aston Villa in the last round, Magpies only needed a point from the next two games in order to complete the Champions League task, and they did it in the first attempt – Newcastle – Leicester 0-0.JOB DONE!!!!WE’RE IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE!!!!! pic.twitter.com/dlPyPECNfx— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) May 22, 2023 It was a strange game and even stranger result, considering that the home team is fantastic at home, while the Foxes are in a relegation zone and have not kept a clean sheet in last 21 Premier League games since their final game before World Cup. But coach Dean Smith was in desperate need of at least a point at St. James Park and decided to do the unthinkable: he left James Maddison and Harvey Barns on the bench. A result – one entire shot on goal for 90 minutes, but also no goals conceded. And it’s remarkable that Newcastle failed to score, considering they had 24 total shots, two posts, one clearance off the line and misses inside five meters.24 – Newcastle United have hit the frame of the goal 24 times in the Premier League this season, five more than any other side. Timber. pic.twitter.com/osUegWftvi— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 22, 2023 The Magpies were nervous in the first 40 minutes and didnt’ play well, mainly trying to score from long shots, and then they had three major chances in the space of five minutes, but Callum Wilson (two) and Miguel Almiron (one) somehow failed to score. The tempo lowered down a bit in the second half, and it was time for Bruno Guimaraes to miss an empty goal for one meter. The winning goal was up in the air, but never came, and around 80th minute, a chill started to creep in, as one unfortunate shout could ruin it all. And then, in the 93rd minute, a near disaster. Castagne somehow managed to take a shot inside the penalty area, but Nick Pope made a remarcable save to deny the Foxes and prevented the worst possible option – to travel to London on the last day looking for points at Stamford Bride.PREMIER LEAGUE – MATCHDAY 37SaturdayTottenham – Brentford 1-3 (1-0)/Kane 8 – Mbeumo 50, 62, Wissa 88/Bournemouth – Manchester United 0-1 (0-1)/Casemiro 9/Fulham – Crystal Palace 2-2 (1-1)/Mitrovic 45+5 pen, 61 – Edouard 34, Ward 83/Liverpool – Aston Villa 1-1 (0-1)/Firmino 89 – Ramsey 27/Wolves – Everton 1-1 (1-0)/Hee-Chan 34 – Mina 90+9/Nottingham Forest – Arsenal 1-0 (1-0)/Awoniyi 19/SundayWest Ham – Leeds 3-1 (1-1)/Rice 31, Bowen 72, Lanzini 90+4 – Rodrigo 17/Brighton – Southampton 3-1 (2-0)/Ferguson 29, 40, Gross 69 – Elyounoussi 58/Man City – Chelsea 1-0 (1-0)/Alvarez 12/MondayNewcastle – Leicester 0-0
