Newcastle United hit the 30-point mark on March 10 last season but will resume Premier League action later this month sitting on the same total after just 15 matches.
With just one loss to their name the remarkable facts of the matter are, if Eddie Howe's team can replicate anything close to their start to the season in the next 15 games, they won't just be in the hunt for the Champions League, they'll probably be in the title race with eight matches left.
All of that sounds great in theory and probably easy when you put it like that but the key part now for Howe and his team is to ensure the same spirit, work-rate and endeavor stays in place for part two of what has been an unprecedented campaign. Remember, the Magpies have only lost one match and still have table-toppers Arsenal to play twice before the season is out.
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For Howe and co the campaign now takes in a change of scenery with a trip to Saudi Arabia where the temperature will be about 30 degrees next week for warm weather training in Riyadh. After two weeks off it will be the chance for Howe and his players to focus once again on the 22/23 season.
Few pundits expected Newcastle to be sitting in third at this stage and way back in August out of 23 BBC pundits, not one mentioned the Magpies when asked who their top four would be. They might still be right of course, but Newcastle at least have something to hold on to.
Get through the festive period in good shape and they could have reached the January window with a top four place on offer to potential new signings. Had Howe been offered this position back in the summer right now there's no doubt he'd have taken it.
Even then the cautious head coach said that he'd never spoke "about positions" in public and the top 10 would probably have been in the minds of many Newcastle fans. But Newcastle have given themselves an opportunity to kick on and get something better now.
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