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Jamie Redknapp says it will be an ‘incredible achievement’ if Newcastle finish in the top four this season.
Eddie Howe‘s injury-hit side were hammered 4-1 at Tottenham just days after the 3-0 defeat at Everton.
Newcastle are seventh in the Premier League after 16 games, seven points behind fourth-placed Man City and 11 adrift of leaders Liverpool.
Redknapp said: ‘I think it’s harder than last season? To be honest, I think when you look at the other runners that are in that top four races, it’s a lot more difficult.
‘You look at this Tottenham side, they’re a lot better than obviously last season. Liverpool were a better team. Everyone is improved, you know, in that top end, then they’ve got they’ve got also the hard that you know, they’re having to deal with Champions League, which makes it even more difficult.
Boss Eddie Howe admitted injury-hit Newcastle had a ‘difficult afternoon’ at Tottenham
Destiny Udogie opened the scoring 26 minutes in after Son Heung-min’s trickery in the box
Son was a persistent thorn in Newcastle’s side and was instrumental in the first two goals
‘So I think if they get in the top four, that will be an incredible achievement right now you look where they are, they’d be big outsiders for me.’
Newcastle boss Howe was able to welcome Sean Longstaff and Callum Wilson back into the matchday squad, but his unchanged team looked tired following Thursday’s loss at Everton.
It does not get any easier for the Magpies with a must-win Champions League tie at home to AC Milan on Wednesday.
‘Yeah, it was a difficult afternoon,’ Howe admitted.
‘I think the players have done so well to keep going in what was a very congested fixture period of games with very hard fixtures.
‘Everton and Tottenham away in a very short period of time, we haven’t been our best. That is very evident for everyone to see.
‘I think the players have given everything, given everything they could give so I have to back them and support them, but acknowledge our performance was way off what it should be.’
