According to the Times, Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Brighton on Saturday afternoon made English top flight history.
Newcastle are now the first team in top-flight history to win no more than one of their opening 20 league games of a season but then manage five victories in the next six matches.
That underlines the scale of the improvement under Eddie Howe in even plainer terms.
It is staggering how much Howe has given the club a facelift since coming in and they face Southampton full of confidence.
Ralph Hasenhuttl has been moaning about facing a different Newcastle but side to the one he would have taken on in the rearranged game.
It is certainly different in terms of confidence, optimism and defensive competence and that has carried Newcastle to the extent where mid-table is a realistic prospect.
Newcastle’s win over Burnley was a turning point but it still took time for the confidence from that victory to really propel the squad.
The victory at Leeds, coming before the warm weather training camp in Saudi Arabia, was another vital result but the credit for harnessing the momentum lies with Howe.
Newcastle’s run cannot last forever, and the next challenge will be dealing with the next setback, but the momentum and confidence around the club should be robust enough to do that.
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