Newcastle United are top of the Championship after 16 games.
Newcastle United Manager Rafael Benitez celebrates after the game
Despite a rocky start, Newcastle United are now dominating the Championship – as they were expected to do.
It has been an exciting three months for the Magpies, and here’s the story so far:
Fulham’s Matt Smith scores their first goal
The football season got underway at Craven Cottage, with pre-season favourites Newcastle arriving in the capital to take on Fulham.
Despite their impressive squad and world class manager, the Magpies fell to a 1-0 defeat in their opening game courtesy of a Matt Smith header.
Huddersfield Town’s Jack Payne celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates
If Newcastle thought playing in front of 52,000 fans at St James’ Park would help get their season underway, they had another thing coming.
David Wagner’s Huddersfield made it back-to-back defeats for the Magpies, with an 82nd minute strike from Jack Payne kicking the Toon Army while they were down.
Newcastle’s Dwight Gayle scores their fourth goal
Newcastle finally got their first win of the campaign at the third time of asking.
Dwight Gayle scored twice, including a stunning free kick, in the 4-1 victory that kick-started Newcastle’s season.
Newcastle United’s Jonjo Shelvey celebrates scoring their third goal
The win against Reading started a run of five straight victories, which culminated with a 6-0 rout against QPR at Loftus Road.
The travelling Toon Army were treated to an attacking display more commonly seen during the Kevin Keegan era. Jonjo Shelvey’s second goal was the pick of the bunch, bending the ball into the top corner from distance right in front of the Newcastle fans.
Newcastle United’s Vurnon Anita is shown a straight red card after this challenge on Wolves’ Ivan Cavaleiro
In typical Newcastle fashion, their 6-0 triumph was followed up by a reality check.
A visiting Wolves side won 2-0 at St James’ Park, and there was further misery for Newcastle when Vurnon Anita was given a straight red card late on.
Dwight Gayle celebrates scoring the fourth goal for Newcastle United
A 96th minute winner against Norwich City will go down as the game that may define Newcastle’s season should they go up. Having gone 3-1 down, goals in the 95th and 96th minute gave Newcastle a 4-3 victory over the Canaries, sending the players and fans wild.
The biggest talking point afterwards was Aleksandar Mitrovic’s crazy celebrations with hat-trick hero Gayle.
Dwight Gayle celebrates after scoring for Newcastle
Dwight Gayle scored his 10th and 11th goal against Barnsley, making him the Championship’s leading scorer and sending the Magpies to the top of the league in the process. Newcastle have been top ever since.
Newcastle United’s Matt Ritchie talks with Aleksandar Mitrovic before he scored their third goal from the penalty spot
As well as league heroics, Benitez is taking Newcastle on a cup run.
A 6-0 win against Preston North End sent them into the quarter finals of the EFL Cup, and even a spat between Matt Ritchie and Mitrovic over a penalty could not ruin another great night at St James’ Park.
Newcastle United’s Aleksandar Mitrovic scores their first goal
An injury to top scorer Gayle ruled him out for the trip to Deepdale, meaning Mitrovic was handed a chance in the league. The Serbian scored twice to give Newcastle a second victory in the space of a week over Preston, sending the fans home singing ‘Mitro’s on fire!’.
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