The new conversation about Newcastle United says it all

Thousands more copies of the football paper were printed after good results, and, in the Premier League era, when Kevin Keegan and Sir Bobby Robson had the club challenging near the top of the Premier League, the results page made good reading. In fact, it was often hard to stop looking at the table.

Times were good then, but the table was less appealing for much of Mike Ashley’s time as owner, when top-flight survival was all-important.

Eddie Howe and his United team are bringing the good times back – but The Pink is long gone.

So away fans left the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium yesterday and picked up their phones to look at the latest table. And it was quite something, as Newcastle had moved up to fourth place following a deserved 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

It’s hard to believe that a year ago the club was winless and 19th in the division – and seemingly heading for the Championship.

On this form, the club, taken over last October, could be heading back to the Champions League.

The table makes for good reading. United, with 21 points, have been beaten just once in 12 games, and the team has the division’s best defensive record, having only conceded 10 goals.

Newcastle were beaten 5-1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April. Speaking after the defeat, Howe said: “I don’t think (it will damage) morale. In hindsight, we might look back on this as a good thing. It might realign our thoughts, and get us back to the basics.”

Howe said last week that lessons had been learnt from that result, and, certainly, United did the basics right on their return to the stadium. Every player knew his role, and that’s not something we could always say during Steve Bruce’s time in charge.

They pressed high up the pitch, used the ball well – and took their chances. Alan Shearer said that his old team was “relentless” on Match of the Day – and he was right.

When Howe took his seat in Tottenham’s plush media auditorium after the game, he was as level-headed as he had been six months ago.

“It’s only a small part of the season,” said United’s head coach. “We’re very level-headed. We’re not going to get carried away. What we’ve delivered has been based on a real unity and togetherness, characters in the changing room being very motivated, driven to do well.

“Everybody within the group wants success for the team ahead of any individual.

“Now we’ve got to try and be consistent and keep that motivation and squad harmony as we go further into the season.”

Howe, again, wouldn’t talk about a challenge for a top-six place.

"There is a long way to go,” said Howe. “Very tight divison. We're enjoying the moment, but we won't get ahead of ourselves. I'm sure people will talk us up, but I don't want to put any external pressure on my players."

Howe might not want to talk about it, but Newcastle, surely, must now be in any conversation about the European places this season.