Newcastle extended their impressive run of form with a hard-fought victory against Brighton and climbed up to second in the Premier League form table. A dramatic turnaround in recent weeks has seen Eddie Howe’s men propel themselves comfortably out of the relegation zone. Toon fans would have snapped your hand off if it meant guaranteeing 17th spot a short while ago but they now have their sights set on a top-half finish.
The building blocks for Newcastle’s improved performances have undoubtedly come from the defence. In January, a leaky backline had conceded 42 goals in just 19 games - the joint-worst in the division. However, a sturdy transformation has seen the Magpies concede just five goals in their last eight outings.
The current eight-game unbeaten run has the Magpies breathing down the necks of title-chasing Liverpool in the form table. Remarkably, Newcastle have fared better than Arsenal, Man City, Man Utd and Chelsea in the last six games, a reflection of how solid Howe has his troops looking right now.
