Newcastle United's promotion from the Championship last season was never really in any doubt.
Under the guidance of Rafa Benitez, who surprisingly opted to remain at St James’ Park following the club’s relegation to the second tier in 2015/16, the Magpies finished a point clear of Brighton and Hove Albion at the summit of the standings to seal a return to the Premier League.
The more cautious members of Newcastle’s fan base would be content with a 17th-place finish this term, but there is currently a feeling of optimism around the club which has given rise to suggestions that Benitez’s men could finish closer to mid-table than the bottom three.
The Spaniard’s teams tend to be defensively resolute and difficult to break down, but Newcastle will have to pose sufficient threat at the other end of the field if they are to comfortably survive in 2017/18. Dwight Gayle was the side’s top scorer last time out, finding the back of the net 23 times in the league – a tally bettered only by Leeds United frontman Chris Wood – and will be relied upon for goals once again.
It will be interesting how the 27-year-old gets on. Gayle already possesses experience of the Premier League having spent three years at Crystal Palace following their promotion in 2012/13. An average record of a goal every 182.6 minutes during his time at Selhurst Park may suggest a purely positive period in the former Peterborough United’s man career, yet in truth Gayle’s employment in south London was more frustrating than fruitful.
Never fully trusted by successive managers over any meaningful length of time, Gayle started only 27 Premier League matches out of a possible 114. His clinical edge in and around the penalty was clear for all to see, while the striker’s movement out of possession was invariably excellent; at the same time, though, Gayle often struggled to involve himself in the build-up and found it difficult to occupy two central defenders when employed on his own up front.
Indeed, the key question surrounding the Newcastle centre-forward is whether his repertoire is rounded enough to thrive at this level. Gayle shares certain characteristics with Jermain Defoe, but the latter’s scoring record down the years is more impressive and managers thus tend to forgive his single-minded approach. If Gayle fails to hit the ground running in terms of goals, it will not be long before questions arise as to what exactly he offers the team.
“The season last year was all about getting to the Premier League,” the 27-year-old told NUFC TV last month.
“The fact we got there shows what you get if you put in hard work. I’m sure we’ll work doubly hard to prove ourselves this year. Everyone has their own personal reasons. But myself, I want to perform as well as I did last season. I’m looking forward to it.”
Gayle did not explicitly mention a desire to prove his doubters wrong after struggling to nail down a starting spot during his time in the Premier League with Palace, but it was implicit in his statement. Whether or not he is able to do so could determine Newcastle’s fate.
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