Newcastle United have the best defensive record in the Premier League. Who would have thought that statement would ring true this time a year ago.
Exactly 12 months to the day Steve Bruce left his boyhood club by mutual consent following the 3-2 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. The Magpies sat second bottom of the Premier League with just three draws from their opening eight games.
Fast forward to present day and Eddie Howe's have made an impressive start to the season losing just once from 11 games. Newcastle have 18 points in comparison to the three points at this stage last season.
£200 million has been invested into the squad with the majority of that going into the Toon defence. The arrival of Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn and Matt Targett helped bolster the defence in January, acting as a platform for survival.
The summer signings of Nick Pope and Sven Botman have taken the Magpies to the next level. Howe's side have conceded just nine goals in the Premier League this season, three of those coming in the home draw with Manchester City.
For all the investment into the defence, the resurgence of Fabian Schar has been one of the highlights of the campaign so far. Once a centre-half 'only capable of playing in a back three' who was prone to errors, has been transformed into a solid defender with an eye for goal.
His fellow centre-half, Botman is yet to lose as a Newcastle player with 10 appearances in all competitions, five of those being wins and five clean sheets. The big Dutch centre-back has only lost four aerial battles in the Premier League.
Trippier has picked up where he left off last season, with one goal and one assist to his name. The ever reliable investment that has paved the way for the rest signings that followed.
Dan Burn has bounced back from the disappointment of losing his place to Botman, by capitalising on an injury to Matt Target to start at left-back. Despite being given somewhat of a run around by Manchester United's Antony in the second-half at Old Trafford last weekend, Burn has been a solid, reliable addition to the defence.
A special shout out must also go to Targett who has been unfortunate to not come back into the side after a superb start to life on Tyneside. The picture at full-time of the Magpies defence celebrating another clean sheet is a welcome one, only highlighting the unison and team spirit that is growing at St. James' Park.
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