AFTER a difficult start to the season, Newcastle United headed into the international break buoyed by back-to-back wins. Scott Wilson and Dominic Shaw reflect on the major issues surrounding the Magpies.

 
How do you reflect on Newcastle’s start to the season?

SW: It’s been challenging, but Newcastle have emerged from a testing period in pretty good shape. The back-to-back wins over Union Saint-Gilloise and Nottingham Forest felt like the Magpies rediscovering much of what has made them so successful under Eddie Howe. Being in the bottom half of the Premier League table isn’t ideal, but it’s worth remembering that Newcastle’s only two league defeats this season have come at the hands of Liverpool and Arsenal. And their only European loss was to Barcelona. They’ve been mixing it with the very best.

DS: By no means spectacular but solid. And, crucially, the signs suggest things are coming together. After what was a turbulent and uncertain summer window, it would have been unrealistic to expect Newcastle to get off to a flying start. But what ensured the Magpies didn't get off to a rotten start were the solid defensive foundations. The draws at...