The Premier League is now reaching the sharp end.
Two-thirds of the season gone and now the deciding third left to play.
Three clubs could still conceivably win the Premier League title but it is the relegation battle I wanted to concentrate on.
Leicester are 12th with 32 points and then a gap to Crystal Palace with 27 points in 13th, then only three points covering six teams in total down to Southampton in 18th.
So who is running into, or out of, form?
I have had a look at the eight relegation contenders and how many points they picked up in the first 13 PL games of the season, then how many in the last 13 matches.
Newcastle of course don’t play their 26th game of the season until tomorrow (Monday) night but if they do get beat, only Fulham and Huddersfield will have picked up less points in these last 13 games.
Huddersfield quite incredibly with only one point from a possible last 39, whilst Fulham have picked up eight.
Newcastle have picked up 12 points in both the first 13 games and these last 13, unless that is added to at Wolves.
Brighton have seen their recent form take a nosedive and have also only picked up 12 points in this second set of 13 games.
Meanwhile, the other contenders for that last relegation spot have done far better in the second half of these fixtures, Palace 18 points and Burnley the same, Cardiff 17 points and Southampton with 16.
Newcastle have had three wins and three draws in both sets of fixtures, the first 13 saw them beat Watford, Bournemouth and Burnley, as well as drawing with Cardiff, Southampton and Palace. Then in the second set of fixtures Rafa’s team have beaten Huddersfield, Cardiff and Manchester City whilst drawing with Everton, Fulham and Watford.
The two sets of 13 fixtures have been relatively balanced as well in terms of the opposition, having played five clubs from the top six in both sets of games. These final 12 matches after Wolves see Newcastle only having to play Liverpool (Home) and Arsenal (Away) of the top six.
The two sets of stats appear to show that they haven’t got any better or worse as the season as gone on, so worrying to see that Cardiff, Burnley, Southampton and Palace all seem to be getting stronger as matches go by.
Needless to say, especially with being only out of the relegation zone on goal difference, a point at Wolves would be very welcome and a win would be massive for Newcastle United.