Newcastle United are five points better off than they were this time last season in the Premier League.
The Magpies under Eddie Howe have won just once in seven matches but after picking up the tag of draw specialists they have eight points to their name with the only defeat coming in stoppage time away to Liverpool. Compare that to last term at the same stage and they are in a much more comfortable position, under Steve Bruce at the same point they had just three points to show for their efforts after seven matches and no wins in 2021.
Steve Bruce
Bruce had guided his team to a good start in the 2020/21 campaign with 11 points on the board after seven games meaning he has bettered Newcastle's efforts so far this term. In November 2020, after a 2-0 win at Crystal Palace, Bruce's team climbed to 10th place in the Premier League but struggled to maintain that type of form.
A brief stint in sixth spot earlier that season - after a 3-1 win over Burnley behind closed doors - was as good as it got for Brunce on Tyneside. Bruce's first season had yielded just five points after seven matches but in fairness, Newcastle went on to finish clear of the relegation zone in 13th place during the first Covid-hit season in the top-flight.
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A 12th place finish in 2021 followed by an awful start to last season rounded off Bruce's time at Newcastle. Not brilliant, but also never in danger of going down over the course of a full campaign.
Although, many felt the precarious position 12 months ago - which left Eddie Howe with a great escape on his hands - may have ended in dropping down to the Championship.
Best effort after seven matches: 11 points
Rafa Benitez
The former Liverpool boss started his first full season in the Premier League with Newcastle in 2017/18 by posting 10 points on the board in the first seven matches. Having recovered from early defeats against Tottenham and Huddersfield, Rafa's men beat West Ham, Swansea and Stoke and picked up a point against Liverpool.
That left Newcastle in ninth place in the Premier League and proved to be an excellent start given United were newly promoted at the time. But trouble was around the corner as a bitter political battle unfolded between Benitez and Mike Ashley.
Benitez wasn't backed properly in summer 2018 and the club got off to one of the worst starts ever to a new season. Just two points after seven matches came amid a backdrop of fan protests.
United eventually finished in 13th place in the Premier League but Benitez left his post after failing to get assurances on player recruitment during new contract talks.
Best effort after seven matches: 10 points
Steve McClaren
The former England boss had started the season in earnest talking about stability and challenging for silverware admitting he "loved the cups" after winning the League Cup with Middlesbrough. But reality didn't take long to kick in and McClaren was win-less in the Premier League after seven matches.
Despite spending big and signing stars like Aleksandar Mitrovic, Gini Wijnaldum and Florian Thauvin, McClaren just couldn't get them going. After stalemates with Southampton and Man United, the seventh match resulted in a 2-2 draw with Chelsea making it three points after seven games.
But it took nine games to get that first victory, a 6-2 win over Norwich, with only five more wins thereafter for McClaren. United were staring relegation in the face with 28 games gone and the ex-Boro boss was sacked.
Record after seven matches: 3 points
Alan Pardew
Pardew is the best performing manager of the last decade at St James' Park. The former Crystal Palace player was often criticised on Tyneside, largely down to being deemed as Mike Ashley's man.
But he made a great start to the 2011/12 season with 15 points from the first seven matches. That was even better than any start made by Bobby Robson.
After a 2-1 win away to Wolves in their seventh game, Newcastle were sitting in third place in the table after goals from Demba Ba and Jonas Gutierrez.
The great start to the campaign was maintained across the season and Newcastle finished fifth to qualify for the Europa League. Pardew also got off to a good start in 2013/14 with 10 points on the board after seven games. Wins over Fulham, Villa and Cardiff had Newcastle in 11th spot but controversy was around the corner.
Fans turned on Pardew after derby defeats against Sunderland and an early FA Cup exit to Cardiff on third round day. Even a run to the quarter-finals of the League Cup and 10th place could not win fans back over and Pardew left in 2014 for his old club Palace.
Best effort after seven matches: 15 points
Chris Hughton
Hughton guided Newcastle back to the Premier League in 2010 and made a flying start to life back in the top-flight with a 6-0 win over Aston Villa to kick off the club's home programme. A win away to Everton also helped newly promoted Newcastle to their first away win thanks to Hatem Ben Arfa's cracker at Goodison Park.
But defeats against Man United, Blackpool, Stoke and Man City meant Hughton yielded just seven points from seven games. Newcastle did pick up with a 5-1 win over Sunderland and 1-0 win away to Arsenal, but Ashley harshly dismissed Hughton just months after he'd led them to the Championship title in 2010.
Record after seven games: 7 points
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