Alan Pardew makes outrageous claim that Newcastle United fans will love
Newcastle United go into this latest international break after picking up back-to-back wins for the first time this season.
The Magpies easily saw off Champions League opponents Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium last week before convincingly beating Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
In terms of momentum, this break couldn't have come at a worse time for Eddie Howe and his players, but given the injuries in the squad, a break isn't necessarily a bad thing.
It's just a shame that we have a two-week break now when the team was just starting to finally click.
Alan Pardew has backed Newcastle to be there or thereabouts this season
Though things are starting to come together on the pitch for the Magpies, they still look a long way off being the finished article, which is why it was quite surprising to hear former Newcastle boss Alan Pardew back them for a cheeky title bid this season on TalkSPORT.
"Newcastle are just picking up speed a little bit and they’ve got (Yoane) Wissa to come back as well who's going to be a massive help to them in terms of forward momentum.
"I think Newcastle definitely are in the shout for perhaps even winning the league. I know that it's hard to think that at the moment. I think they're definitely a contender, I do
"When I look at the other teams, if I was Eddie with the squad he's got and the momentum, he's got the crowd firmly on his side. I'm talking about the manager. He's got enough tools in his little kit bag there (and they have) been together for a few years now.
"They've obviously got the cup out of the way last year in terms of winning a trophy, less pressure on them, I think they've got a massive chance."
Are Newcastle ready to mound a serious title challenge?
We'd all love for Pardew to be right, but we're not sure we're quite there yet. It's not beyond the realms of possibility, we certainly have the players and the manager in place to mount a title challenge, it just still seems a bit premature.
Had we beaten either Liverpool or Arsenal this season, we'd be more inclined to think that we're ready, but we aren't going to win a title without beating the favourites.
That being said, there's still a long way to go, and our form is on the rise while Liverpool is faltering. Are we really doing this? We're winning the league, aren't we? HOWAY EDDIE HOWE TITLE WINNING MAGS!
