It has been an interesting season for Newcastle United so far with a real mixture of results - but which players have stood out and which have struggled?
Newcastle are one point worse off in the Premier League than they were after 12 matches last season but have had Champions League football and a serious injury crisis to contend with.
After losing three of their opening four matches, Newcastle got things back on track in September and October with a seven-game unbeaten run which included five wins and five clean sheets.
The Magpies sit seventh in the Premier League table and have reached the quarter-final of the Carabao Cup but only have a slim chance of progressing from their Champions League group following back to back defeats against Borussia Dortmund.
But at this relatively early stage in the season, who has shone and who has struggled for The Magpies so far? We have looked at every member of Newcastle’s squad plus any younger players who have made an appearance and ranked and rated them based on their contributions so far.
Ratings also take into account expectations relative to the players in question. For example 17-year-old midfielder Lewis Miley is not expected to produce the same level of performances as £52million summer signing Sandro Tonali.
In total, we have rated 29 Newcastle United players to determine our top performers from the opening 18 matches in all competitions during the opening four months of the season. Ratings will be updated periodically throughout the season.
Here are the ratings in full...
9. Elliot Anderson - 6
Was pushing for a spot in the starting XI most weeks before picking up a concerning back injury that ruled him out for an extended period. Came back into the side for the final months of the season and put in some solid displays. | Getty Images
10. Martin Dubravka - 6
Dubravka has stepped into the side in Nick Pope's absence but Newcastle have gone from having a relatively solid defensive record to leaking goals. Was Newcastle's penalty shootout hero at Blackburn to help the side progress to the FA Cup quarter-final. | Getty Images
11. Nick Pope - 6.5
Guilty of a couple of shaky moments and mistakes that weren’t quite so frequent last season but still put in a number of impressive displays, keeping five clean sheets in a row earlier in the season before dislocating his shoulder. Only returned to action on the final day at Brentford, where he made several good saves. | Getty Images
12. Harvey Barnes - 6.5
Came on and grabbed a goal and an assist on his debut against Aston Villa before his season was significantly impacted by a foot injury. Scored an important goal against Luton Town and helped Newcastle complete a stunning turnaround with a late brace against West Ham United. Also scored on the final day at Brentford. A frustrating first season for Barnes at Newcastle, but he still left his mark. | Getty Images