Newcastle's main goal is to get into the top 5 (this guarantees direct entry into the Champions League, as England is number one in the UEFA rankings and will receive an additional ticket) and now they look like favorites in this fight. The game in hand with Crystal Palace, I think it's at least one point, which already allows them to keep Chelsea, Aston Villa and City at a distance. The most positive thing for Newcastle is that, unlike many other teams, they are playing better towards the end of the season rather than experiencing a decline.
I would say that Newcastle are currently the frontrunners in the race to qualify for the Champions League. Each team has played 31 matches. On the other hand, Newcastle are fifth in the table with 53 points from 30 matches. If they win the next match, Newcastle will have 56 points. Newcastle will be fourth in the table. And the team will be only 1 point behind Nottingham Forest.
In the next 8 matches, Newcastle will face strong teams like Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal. If Newcastle does not lose in these three matches, then I would say that we will see Newcastle in the top four of the table.
Newcastle are definitely the favorites to clinch that advantage of having the 5th position which automatically grants them champions league football.
Like you likely said, they are playing better towards the end of the season also coupled with the fact that they have an extra morale boost from the trophy deadlock they just broke, more team morale
Their opponents would have been a stumbling block but Arsenal wll be more focused on champions league, man united doesn’t really have anything to play for just trying to understand themselves as a team so i only see Chelsea as a threat. Lets not forget they do have a game at hand