Newcastle United have moved into the top four. Yes, you read that right. The Magpies really are in the mix for a place in the Champions League - for now at least - after a superb 2-1 win against Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
It may only be October 24, but this victory felt like a warning to the rest of the Premier League: Newcastle are here to upset the established order and they now have the means to do just that. In truth, scarily, Eddie Howe's side will only get better and for teams like Spurs, that will be a huge concern in the years to come.
Spurs chiefs, after all, were among those unnerved by Newcastle's takeover and it is certainly not in chairman Daniel Levy's interests for the top six to become a big seven. Whether it is this season or next, that fear could soon be realised if Newcastle continue to play like they did on Sunday.
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That is a seismic prospect and the biblical storm that broke out at half-time suggested Newcastle had angered the football gods after having the audacity to go into the break 2-0 up following goals from Callum Wilson and Miguel Almiron. However, spirited Newcastle were more than good value for their lead and their win in general as Howe's side maintained their unbeaten run.
It said it all that even when Harry Kane pulled a goal back, with so much time left in the 54th minute, Newcastle did not crumble like they once would have. Even Spurs fans recognised a late equaliser was not on the cards as thousands left the stadium early. In contrast, Newcastle supporters were still singing: 'E I E I E O Up the Premier League we go' long after the final whistle as players and staff stood and applauded the away end for several minutes. In truth, they could have stayed there a lot longer.
Callum Wilson admitted 'it meant so much and the emotion came out from everyone' while Fabian Schar went as far as to say he had not seen a spirit like this in his four years at the club. Bruno Guimaraes declared Newcastle were in their 'best moment' since he joined the Magpies last January.
As far as Eddie Howe was concerned, it was Newcastle's finest performance since the head coach took charge nearly a year ago after the fearless visitors pressed high up the field and became the first side to beat Spurs in their own back yard since April. So what did Howe say to his players before the game?
"It doesn't matter who you are playing," he told reporters. "If you go out onto the pitch with fear, you're almost beaten before it's started so you have to go onto the pitch believing in yourself, your team-mates, that you're good enough to execute what you need to win.
"It was very much focusing on us, really. Focusing on our performance rather than focusing too much on the opposition. There's a really delicate balance and how you present things to the players so hopefully we got that right."
What a contrast to the feeling after the corresponding fixture 203 days previously when Newcastle were hammered 5-1 by Spurs on an afternoon where the visitors only had one shot on target and just 39% possession. Yes, Newcastle also took the lead that day, but the Magpies went on to concede five goals in the space of just 40 minutes against a ruthless counter-attacking outfit after naively chasing the game too early.
Eddie Howe hoped that defeat would prove a turning point of sorts and lessons were certainly learned that day in April. This current Newcastle side is stronger, smarter, and no other team had conceded fewer goals (nine) in the Premier League this season or kept more clean sheets (five) before the Magpies' latest trip to the capital.
With that base to fall back on, the players genuinely believed they could go to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and get something as they did at Old Trafford a week previously. That draw at Manchester United and the subsequent win against Everton had taken the pressure off, but this was no free hit.
Yes, Newcastle's unbeaten run was certainly going to be tested against a wounded Spurs side who had won 10 consecutive home fixtures in all competitions - scoring 27 goals during that run - but the visitors travelled without fear. Spurs are one of the best teams in the Premier League, but Conte, himself, acknowledged last week they struggle in 'high level' games. This was a chance for Newcastle to prove they belonged in that company.
This would have been a testing game for Newcastle in a free week - never mind after the players emptied their tanks against Manchester United and Everton in the days beforehand. However, after naming an unchanged side midweek, Howe, surprisingly, made just one change as Joe Willock came in for Jacob Murphy and the versatile Joelinton lined up on the wing for the first time this season.
Although Bruno travelled down separately on Saturday night, following the birth of his son, Matteo, the Magpies' talisman was fit to start in the middle of the park to give his side a boost. Bruno's passing range and composure on the ball was certainly going to be needed on an afternoon where Spurs, who are so good on the break, were relatively content to let the visitors have the ball.
That tactic was clear with just three minutes on the clock when Newcastle were very nearly punished for giving the ball away inside Spurs' half. However, following a rapid counter up the pitch, Son fired just over the bar from distance.
Newcastle were not shaken by that scare, though, and just a minute later, the Magpies had a strong penalty appeal waved away by referee Jarred Gillett after Joelinton was bundled over inside the box. It felt like a big moment and Spurs soon came close to opening the scoring themselves.
Newcastle's defenders and midfielders may have been able to swarm Spurs whenever the hosts advanced on goal, but Conte's side have the quality to play through that as they did in the 11th minute when Kane slipped Son in.. Nick Pope rushed off his line and managed to get a smart hand to the South Korea star's attempted lob before Kieran Trippier cleared. Pope was called into action once again before the half-hour mark and, again, the Newcastle number one made a good save to deny Kane with his feet.
That is the difference a goalkeeper like Pope makes in a game like this when Newcastle are facing two of the best forwards in the business. It meant Newcastle were still in the game and the Magpies were soon in front in the 32nd minute. Fabian Schar launched the ball forward and Hugo Lloris bumped into Callum Wilson as the Spurs goalkeeper raced out of his goal. Wilson, unlike Lloris, stayed on his feet and lifted the ball into the back of the net from 25 yards.
If Newcastle fans were delirious after that opener, well, they were in dreamland just a few minutes later when Miguel Almiron doubled his side's advantage in the 40th minute. Again Spurs' soft centre was exposed as Emerson Royal failed to control a bouncing ball deep in his own half and Almiron pounced before riding a challenge from the defender, skipping past Clement Lenglet and calmly finishing past Lloris from a tight angle.
That was the cue for thousands of Spurs supporters to head inside early and those who stayed behind booed their side off at the break. Conte attempted to rally his players at half-time but, remarkably, it was Newcastle who looked the likelier scorers in the opening stages of the second half.
Howe's side had another penalty appeal waved away in the 52nd minute after the ball struck Emerson's hand inside the box following Joelinton's header across the goal. Then, just a minute later, Schar caught Trippier's corner on the volley but Lloris pushed it away.
As poor as Spurs were, you felt Newcastle needed that third goal to kill the hosts off once and for all given the firepower Conte's side had. Spurs duly pulled one back in the 54th minute when Kane sent a diving header into the net. Spurs supporters suddenly found their voice, but Newcastle managed to hold their nerve.
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