Newcastle United face a 'tough examination' of their resurgent form starting with an encounter at Southampton. That is the view of Magpies head coach Eddie Howe, who accepts the 'quick succession' of three away fixtures in eight days will test his side's tactical adaptability.
Newcastle's hard-fought 2-1 home victory over Brighton in their last outing extended their unbeaten top-flight run to eight matches, and lifted the club seven points clear of the relegation zone. However, United now face an extended run away from Tyneside following the Premier League's decision to reschedule the postponed clashes with the Saints and Everton on successive Thursday nights.
Howe has stressed his belief in the full squad at his disposal, despite largely relying on a settled starting eleven in recent weeks. The former Bournemouth boss has been reluctant to disrupt the 'rhythm' during the unbeaten run, but insists each player still has a 'huge role' to play.
