‘Impossible to' - What Newcastle United’s rivals have said about their season - including Man City, Arsenal & Wolves

Newcastle United remain firmly in the race for Champions League qualification heading into the November international break in what has so far been a mixed season of results and performances in the Premier League.

As it stands, Eddie Howe’s side are eighth in the table and just one point behind third place Chelsea after a mini-revival which has seen the team record two consecutive Premier League victories and three wins in a row across all competitions. The Magpies are also through to the quarter-final of the League Cup - marking the first time in the club’s history that the club has reached the last eight of the competition on three consecutive occasions.

Newcastle fans are dreaming of lifting their first domestic trophy since the FA Cup in 1955 and they also have high hopes of returning to the Champions League after last year’s seventh place finish. But what have opposing managers made of Newcastle start to the season so far, their style of play and their financial resources?

‘One of the best teams out of possession’ - Russell Martin, Southampton

Newcastle United were controversially reduced to ten men on the opening day of the season in a hard-fought 1-0 victory at home to Southampton. The Saints controlled large periods of possession but conceded just on the stroke of half time when Magpies midfielder Joelinton converted from an Alexander Isak cross.

“I think today was a big test for the players in terms of coming to one of the most difficult places to try and play in this way, because they’re so aggressive; one of the best teams out of possession – the physical data backs that up, the stats back it up from last season.

"We watched team after team come here last season and get run all over, and make so many mistakes. We make one and get punished. The mistake is collective. I’m asking us to play in that way and we played beautifully, brilliantly for half an hour.”

‘We didn't look like a lesser side’ - Gary O’Neil, Wolverhampton Wanderers

Newcastle United came from behind to secure a crucial 2-1 victory away to Wolves with Fabian Schar and Harvey Barnes scoring late for the Magpies.However, Gary O’Neil felt his team were hugely unlucky not to walk away with three points and claims his team were more than a match for the Magpies.

He said at the time: "That was close to being our best today. Of course, there's a few little bits that we could tidy up on, but we've gone up against a side who have spent an awful lot of money and were in the Champions League last season, and we didn't look like a lesser side.

“That takes a lot of doing against Newcastle, because there's not many teams that go out against them and just go toe-to-toe and have a real good game, and, in my opinion, looks slightly more likely to score than they do."

‘Newcastle are impossible to contain over a whole 90 minutes’ - Pep Guardiola, Manchester City

Newcastle United earned a well deserved 1-1 home draw against reigning champions Manchester City with Anthony Gordon grabbing the equaliser from the penalty spot. After the game, Pep Guardiola spoke about his admiration of Eddie Howe and the way his team set-up and described Newcastle as a team who do the right things.

He explained: "I said to him (Eddie Howe) I admire him and the way he approaches the game. Newcastle press high and are so hard to play against. They have a lot of legs. When you are a manager you are always polite to an opponent who is trying to do the right things.

"In general, we played really good. Newcastle are impossible to contain over a whole 90 minutes. At 1-0 we made some bad decisions and did not make it 2-0. We would like to have won but we take the point.

‘They are really good at what they do’ - Mikel Arteta, Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta accused his team of getting stuck into the kind of game Newcastle United wanted to play.

He explained after his side’s 1-0 defeat to the Magpies: “You know the game they (Newcastle) want to play – it’s clear. You get dragged into that kind of game too often and we weren’t good enough and didn’t have enough answers to get out of that constantly, especially to create the threat that we needed and discussed.They are really good at what they do. They drag you into the sort of game they want. They are all big and very physical, Joelinton especially.

"We started the game really well, we were on top of it, we looked sharp and alive and the one action: direct play, second ball, ball out wide - they're so good at that - unbelievable shot and finish. Then the energy shifts, you know the game they want to play is clear. You too often get dragged into that kind of game, we couldn't find the answers to get out of that, but credit to Newcastle as well for what they do.”

‘Better than us in many, many moments’ - Nuno Espirito Santo, Nottingham Forest

Newcastle United came back from behind to earn a well-deserved 3-1 victory against high-flying Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. After the game, Nuno Espirito Santo claimed Nottingham Forest tasted their own medicine as Newcastle United punished them with their pace and clinicality on the counter attack.

He said: "It is a lesson for us. We cannot say anything about our players. We gave everything that we have. We have to recognise today that Newcastle were the better team. They were very effective. We have to be proud of our effort against a good team. It is a very, very good league.

"I cannot say that was a bad performance, that is totally out of the question. We played against a very good team that was able to control us and then hurt us in the way we’ve been doing. It is a lesson for us to learn. I just have to recognise that today we played a good team, who were better than us in many, many moments. There’s nothing to say about the players, the character and belief was there.”