Manchester United legend and critic Gary Neville admits he fears that there could be a major problem for Newcastle United next season.
Magpies look in a good position to qualify for the Champions League, but they are not there yet, so this campaign needs to be put to an end.
Eddie Howe has done some extraordinary work on the Newcastle side, including winning the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool earlier this season.
But in this age of strict financial fair play rules and regulations, Champions League qualifications could prove to be truly important to Newcastle and other clubs.
Gary Neville’s PSR warning for Newcastle United
Newcastle wouldn’t want to be in the position to realize that cashing out one or two star names this summer will lead to a backward shift.
“PSR and sustainability have become a real problem for these clubs,” he said, calling it the Soccer Podcast.
“The success of Man United, Tottenham, Villa, Forest, Newcastle, City, Arsenal and Chelsea will rely heavily on this £50, £60, £70 and £80 million, depending on their distance in the Champions League.
“It’s almost like doing it or die. It’s despair. There’s a cliff edge created throughout the football.”
Newcastle will then face Chelsea with a 6-pointer
Newcastle’s next match against Chelsea is especially important to the club’s hopes of finishing in the top five this season.
There are additional Champions League locations for the grab, but there is no guarantee that NUFC will be available yet.
Chelsea are one of the teams in the mix, so it’s important for Howe to win by putting in a big performance this weekend.
It’s a difficult break-in for Newcastle too. Newcastle still has Arsenal playing away from home, then finishing at home towards Everton on the final day.