Sean Longstaff gives his view on 'turbulent' start at Newcastle United

Longstaff’s younger brother Matty, making his debut, scored the club’s goal in Sunday’s 1-0 win over Manchester United.

The result, Steve Bruce’s first home win as head coach, lifted the club, which had been beaten 5-0 by Leicester City a week earlier, out of the relegation zone ahead of the international break.

Bruce – who succeeded Rafa Benitez in the summer – had been under intense pressure ahead of the game.

However, the result has now bought Bruce some time at St James’s Park, and Longstaff believes the team now has a “platform” to build on.

“It has been turbulent so far,” said the midfielder. “But the win on Sunday gives us a platform to go on.

“Within the group, and within the club, we’ve stayed very level. Obviously, there has been two great results in Tottenham and Man United, and there has been a couple of disappointing ones, but you’ve got to stay level headed.”

Longstaff had labelled the Leicester defeat as “embarrassing”, while Bruce bemoaned his 10-man team’s “complete surrender” in the second half at the King Power Stadium.

There was also a backlash on Tyneside, and Bruce decided on a tactical change in the wake of the result.

The players had to shut out the noise coming from outside the training ground as they focused on what they had to do on the training field.

“There’s going to be some good times and some difficult times, and it’s about ignoring, as bad it sounds, everything that’s around the club and just sticking together, said Longstaff.

“We know the only people who can change anything are within the football club, and as long as we’re all reading off the same script, and fighting for each other, we’ll be all right.”

Newcastle take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on October 19.

Longstaff, 21, made his full league debut in the corresponding fixture last season.