Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer has given his verdict on the Magpies' top-four prospects in an interview on talkSPORT. The club's all-time leading goalscorer has regularly praised Eddie Howe and his former side this season on BBC's Match of the Day and his column for The Athletic.
Shearer admits he had expected Newcastle to be relegated considering their position at Christmas last year. The pundit reckons Kieran Trippier has proven to be the 'key signing', while also praising the likes of Joelinton and Nick Pope.
Newcastle's legendary number nine does not believe Howe's side will hold on to their current top-four spot, although he reckons this stance could change dependent on the club's January transfer business. Here is everything he had to say on Newcastle in interview with Ally McCoist, Stuart Pearce and Laura Woods.
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AM: Your team are absolutely flying. We've watched you on Match of the Day, you've been thrilled by the way they're performing. Eddie Howe...defensively they've been outstanding, I don't know what [Miguel] Almiron has been on but he's been absolutely out of this world.
How happy are you and are you surprised? I'll be honest, I think they're well ahead of the game with where I expected them to be. Is that the same opinion you have?
AS: Without a doubt Ally. I expected improvement this season, but I didn't expect it to be as great as what we're seeing. What a job Eddie Howe is doing and has done, it was remarkable in the way he kept Newcastle up last year because if you remember in and around Christmas, I thought they were certain to be relegated.
Then the signings, Kieran Trippier was the key signing for me. He was a game-changer with his attitude and everything else, his ability and leadership qualities. He came into the club and when you remember what he's achieved and what he's won as a player, for him to choose Newcastle who were in with a real chance of being relegated was a big decision.
I think that then attracted others to the football club. He [Howe] got them safe last year, and the way they're playing this year, they look so fit. It's an unbelievable atmosphere at St James' Park, it hasn't been for the last 14 or 15 years. But for the past year since Eddie has been in, it has been totally transformed. It has been incredible.
The players are feeding off that, they're going after teams and they're playing some really good entertaining football. Everyone seems up to it and they look really strong in every position, and what has also been key has been some of his other signings.
Nick Pope has been fantastic. Their win at Tottenham last weekend, for the first 15 minutes they were under the cosh and he made two big saves in one-on-ones which kept them in the game and gave them the platform to go and play.
They're ahead of schedule. I hope I'm wrong again, I don't see them finishing in the top four. They've got a really good chance, and that might depend if they go and sign another player or two in January. But with what they've got at the minute, bearing in mind they're doing it without [Allan] Saint-Maximin and without their record signing in [Alexander] Isak as well, if they were to get another one or two in January, my opinion might change on the top four.
Whatever happens, if they get into fifth, sixth, seventh, I think that would be a big improvement on last year and that's all we can ask for from Newcastle isn't it?
SP: Ally mentioned about Almiron and his form this year. Joelinton last year when he converted him into a midfield player Al was incredible.
AS: I felt really sorry for Joelinton when Newcastle signed him because everything was a bit unfair on him. They pay £40 million for him as a centre-forward and gave him the number nine shirt, and clearly he was never a number nine or a centre-forward.
But the one thing about him, he never hid. He always wanted to go and get the ball, he always tried and worked his socks off and that kept the relationshp with the Newcastle fans. They always stuck with him, they were frustrated at times but stuck with him. Then the move back into midfield has been sensational really, and he looks a proper top player in midfield. He looks big and strong, and can carry the ball. He has a presence in there, his touch has been superb.
The one thing he can perhaps add is more goals, but that will come I'm sure. Eddie has done an unbelievable job in doing what he has done with him and several other players as well.
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