Football never stands still, especially in England. The Premier League is getting more competitive with every passing year, it’s getting ridiculous. Arsenal were leaders for most of the season but will have to settle for finishing second. Chelsea were the best team in Europe two years ago and are now in the bottom half of the EPL table, and Leicester, who won the title in 2016 are sliding down.The example of tonight’s rivals, Newcastle United and Leicester City, shows how easily things can turn in the sport of football. During the Foxes’ magical season of 2015/16, when they stunned the world to lift the title, the black-and-whites from the northeast of England were dying a slow death. While Jamie Vardy, N’Golo Kante, Danny Drinkwater and Kasper Schmeichel were kissing their gold medals, Newcastle were sinking down to the EFL Championship.12,000 Newcastle fans in Milan in 2003.Champions League away days for #NUFC coming back soon… 🙌 pic.twitter.com/S6Q5lwH3po— Football Away Days (@FBAwayDays) May 21, 2023 Seven years ago, Newcastle fans were angry with their club’s owner Mike Ashley for waiting too long to sack Steve McClaren and appoint Rafael Benitez as their coach. The season ended in relegation and nobody knew if Benitez would stay in his post to try and lead the Magpies to instant promotion. Those were dark days at Tyneside, unlike these days.Fast forward seven years, and the mood is different both at Newcastle and Leicester. The club from the northeast needs just a point from their remaining two games to ensure UEFA Champions League qualification for the first time in 20 years, while Leicester need a miracle to avoid being demoted from the league. The tables have turned.##NAJAVA_MECA_7268643##Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe said such dips in form and fortunes can happen to anyone.”It can happen to any team in any season. Things can sometimes conspire against you. Leicester have some outstanding individuals and are a really strong team when you look at it as a whole but that is the Premier League.”The Foxes begin the penultimate matchday of the season two points adrift of safety in 19th place. They can no longer catch Nottingham Forest thanks to the Reds’ victory over Arsenal. Still, Everton’s draw with Wolverhampton means that the Foxes could move themselves out of the relegation zone with a win – if Leeds United fail to beat West Ham on Sunday. The Foxes’ supporters had some optimism during the three-game unbeaten streak between late April and early of May, but it has since been replaced by despair as their team conceded eight goals in their last two games.🗣 “I can see the pessimism amongst the supporters and our job is to lift that.”Dean Smith understands why the Leicester City fans may not be as optimistic in their survival bid, as they face Newcastle tonight pic.twitter.com/GwEhlOmP0n— Football Daily (@footballdaily) May 22, 2023 Newcastle will miss midfielders Joe Willock and Sean Longstaff, although the latter has an outside chance of appearing. Joelinton, Jacob Murphy and Kieran Trippier are doubts. Meanwhile, Leicester’s boss Dean Smith hopes to welcome Kelechi Iheanacho and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall back into the team. Caglar Soyuncu, Danny Ward, Jannik Vestergaard and James Justin remain on the sidelines.Leicester won’t get relegated tonight, but the doors to second-tier football might be open for them by the team whose fortunes were vastly improved over the past year and a half. It’s how football works: for every team on the upward trajectory, there’s one drifting away.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 – Arenal 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/Monday22:00: (1.41) Newcastle (5.00) Leicester (8.16)odds are subject to change******odds are subject to change
