Newcastle United are too far behind to pull themselves out of the relegation zone. It’s too late to catch the bus. The bus is gone. They are going down next spring.

How quickly Newcastle have failed this season. And how accurate was manager Rafael Benítez, when he warned everyone this would happen.

Today’s performance in Southampton was emblematic of Newcastle’s hopeless season. There was no attack. There wasn’t a single shot on target.

I’m not sure if Rafael Benítez will be allowed to finish his contract, which expires at the end of May, 2019. Indications are that he will, as the candidate to replace him, Brendan Rodgers, is poised to complete a somewhat disappointing season at Celtic. Also, the Newcastle ownership and board have no desire to stay up in the Premiership, despite the extra revenue for doing so They seem perfectly content to watch this club go down.