It is the start of a 10-day period that can define this season for Newcastle United as early as it is. First of all starting on Sunday the Magpies must face Manchester City, the best side in the Premier League and probably in Europe.
After that it is three successive away matches - at Tranmere in the league cup on Wednesday, at Wolves that weekend, and at Liverpool the following midweek. That is potentially an awesome run of games topped and tailed by Man City and Liverpool.
United cannot afford to lose too often and that includes in the cup because being knocked out by a League Two side would badly damage morale and confidence before going on to Wolverhampton. Especially if Man City have tucked up United as well. In any case Newcastle are long overdue a run in a domestic cup competition. To heck with a run, how about going to Wembley and winning? Why not?
