Newcastle United were in the relegation zone just 478 days ago after last season's corresponding fixture away to Leeds United at Elland Road.
Eddie Howe's team did not pick up a victory against the Yorkshire club this time around, but they at least banked a valuable point in the Premier League over the weekend. In that fateful 15 months since playing Leeds last, United have improved in every department, and relegation concerns have been replaced by fans pondering whether their team will be in the Europa League or Champions League.
Newcastle have ventured a long way in a very short space of time. Some say they have arrived a year early at the gates of the Champions League, but it could be easily argued they are here at least two years quicker than the average football observer could have predicted.
