Newcastle United go into the World Cup break in third but if the players and staff had their way, they would love to keep playing in the coming weeks. You can see why.
In-form Newcastle have won six successive games in all competitions and Eddie Howe's side's one and only defeat came way back in August. Newcastle, in short, have momentum.
Yet, equally, there is an alternative argument that the break could give a Newcastle side who play with such intensity the chance to catch their breaths before really attacking the second half of the season. Most importantly, the World Cup will enable Howe and his staff to work with the players for an extended period of time on the training pitches during a mini pre-season of sorts.
