Newcastle United players were put through their paces at the club's Benton base on Friday in scenes that would not have looked out of place in early July.
Eddie Howe and his squad have spoken about the intensity levels required going into Premier League matches these days and the results have shown this term on the pitch. Just four defeats from 33 matches and the leanest defence in the top flight with just 27 goals says it all.
But Howe - who has already packed in two "mini pre-seasons" into this campaign over in Riyadh and Dubai in boot camps - has made it clear he wants more for the final push in the Prem. And that was evident on Friday as the preparations for the crucial Arsenal clash began with the dreaded beep test in the indoor hall at Benton.
