Newcastle United will move back into third spot in the Premier League with victory over Fulham in Sunday's televised encounter. The Magpies also have a Carabao Cup semi-final against Southampton to negotiate in the coming weeks.
Eddie Howe's side have made a stunning start to the season and have challenged the so-called 'Big Six' sooner than anyone expected. It has led to pundits questioning whether Newcastle can finish the job and earn a place in next season's Champions League.
Jeff Stelling was joined in the studio by Kris Boyd, Michael Dawson, Clinton Morrison and Merson to discuss the Magpies. Here is everything the Soccer Saturday panel had to say on Newcastle United.
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JS: Let's talk about one of the most joyous footballing venues over the course of the season, that was St James' Park. Newcastle United, through to the semi-final of the League Cup after they beat Leicester City.
It was a dream for their fans and it was dream for a fella who was a fan, a big gangly defender isn't he? Talking of big gangly defenders Daws, this is a dream come true for Dan Burn.
MD: Absolutely unbelievable. What Newcastle are doing up there with Eddie Howe and that group of players is incredible. They absolutely dominated the game, they were magnificent from start to finish.
The first-half, they could have been out of sight against Leicester. It just took longer than expected for big Dan Burn to be flying down the left, getting in, chopping inside and putting it in the bottom corner with his right foot in front of the Gallowgate End.
It was an unbelievable celebration, the team he grew up supporting and scoring the goal to help get them to the semi-final of the Carabao Cup. Incredible. His dance moves weren't too bad neither.
JS: He used to stand in the Gallowgate and now to score in front of them, absolutely sensational. You mention the dance, there were celebrations on the field and celebrations afterwards. Dan Burn was at the centre of them too.
It was a lovely spot of man-management from Eddie Howe to bring that up in front of the cameras after the game. He can do no wrong, but he's going to need to do no wrong Merse because now, they've got the possibility of going on and winning the League Cup.
They have Southampton in the semi-final, but of course they are still chasing a top-four [finish] as well. This could be quite a balancing act from Eddie Howe from now on.
PM: Yeah, very much so. I watched them at Arsenal the other week, they weren't great going forward but at the back and defensively as a unit, they were absolutely amazing.
Arsenal could still be playing now and wouldn't have scored. My big question would be and I think about what the Geordie fans will be thinking, top four or winning the League Cup? It's been so many years Jeff.
JS: Can't they have both?
PM: You know what, I ain't sure if they can 'cos of the squad. I don't think the squad is really that big...
CM: You don't think they'll spend in the window?
PM: They might do. What I like about Newcastle, when the owners have come in with all the money in the world and we're talking about all of these world-class players, they've bought so well.
They've not rocked the boat. You bring in a superstar, bring in one on £400k per week and all these players start to look like a good dressing room, all of a sudden they go wait there a minute? Why haven't I got...and it rocks it.
What Eddie said there...I was fortunate enough to go down and do a talk with the Bournemouth players when Eddie was manager down there. I stayed behind afterwards when he had a chat with the players.
His chat is so good, you sit there and want to play football again. He's a top manager, and I don't think they're going away. I look at the fixtures, for the first time all season I think they will be in the top four at the end of the season.
KB: Looking at them as well, we speak about the squad and I actually think it's benefitting them that it is actually smaller as such. It's the same players playing each week, we speak about leaving players out and they lose one.
These same players are going out week after week after week, and they're getting results. There are times when you're winning games, you want to continue.
PM: They're well beating teams if you know what I mean. They're not scoring six and seven goals, but they're winning quite comfortably.
JS: On the bench the other day, they had Isak, Saint-Maximin, Chris Wood, Jacob Murphy, Matt Ritchie who has been a great servant. They have got some depth.
By the way, you mention those fixtures...Palace away after this, West Ham at home, Bournemouth away. The table could look pretty tasty if things go to plan.
Boydy, what do you think you do with Joelinton who we know has been charged with drink-driving this week. Do you leave it to the law, or do you show you are disciplining him by not playing him in this game?
KB: I think it's obviously two separate...the drink-driving side, the police and the law is going to deal with that. Eddie Howe for me, I think he'll pick him. I think he'll go with...
JS: It would rock the boat if he wasn't there, he's been such a key player.
KB: I think when you look at the way he's performed, it wasn't so long ago we were sitting here and we were like he has to come out of the team. He doesn't look as though he wants the ball, he's playing on the wing and trying to hide away from it.
He was signed as a striker, but I think Eddie Howe has transformed probably not just his Newcastle career but his whole career. You're now looking at him and saying he can play five or six positions and play them comfortably.
I think the energy he brings to the team, the way he covers the ground with a big long stride, added to the fact he's a good footballer. He's aggressive, he'll challenge and set the tempo, I think he'll play. He's obviously made a mistake, but I think he'll play.
JS: He's started 40 out of 45 Premier League games under Eddie Howe. I mean Eddie really rates him, as does every Newcastle fan.
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