Newcastle United are a 'massive threat' to the established order at the top of the Premier League - including this Sunday's opposition Manchester United. The Magpies head down to Old Trafford having lost only once this season and on a wave of optimism boosted by last year's takeover.
The buy-out of Mike Ashley by the Saudi-backed consortium has left Newcastle as one of the richest clubs in the world, and owners with the ambition to match. While the word from the club is one of a slow and steady build to the top of the Premier League, their signings in the two windows they have overseen suggest they are not here to make up the numbers.
Newcastle lie sixth in the league just one point and one place behind Manchester United - with the aim of cracking the top 6, if not this season, then in the seasons to come. With such bold plans, Manchester United writer for the Manchester Evening News, Steve Railston believes teams - including Man United - will be fearing Newcastle's attempts to gatecrash the top six.
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Speaking on The Everything is Black and White Podcast while previewing Newcastle's trip to Old Trafford, Railston said: "Everyone can see it and they'd be lying if they say otherwise - [Newcastle] it's a massive threat. Of course, it is - it's another team with lots of money that are challenging for Europe, and that means one less position, doesn't it?
"If you're dropping the ball and you're not doing things, right, which, let's face it, Man United haven't over the last 10 years, they've made a tonne of mistakes, a tonne of transfer mistakes, then you're going to become vulnerable.
"If there's another team at the table, like Newcastle, who showed over the last, what, 20 years back when they had some good times that they can challenge at the top then yes, they're going to be feared and I think rightly so.
"To be fair, there seems to be something going on up there under Eddie Howe. A mood in the city and a feeling of momentum. I think all the top four teams, top six they should be fearing Newcastle because it's another big player coming to the table."
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