Newcastle United sit in a mightly impressive third place in the Premier League after a superb first half of the season with hopes still alive in both domestic cups.
You'd have to go back to December 2001 to have heard a statement like that about the Magpies because that was the last time that three paths to glory were still open at this time of year. Back then a quarter-final exit to Chelsea in the League Cup and a last-eight defeat to Arsenal in the FA Cup ended silverware hopes before Newcastle finished the season in fourth place but led the table over Christmas that year under Sir Bobby Robson.
But there is genuine optimism that United can either qualify for Europe again, for the first time since 2012 or do well in one of the cups. And Eddie Howe is hardly playing down the prospect of winning something either.
