Eddie Howe is anticipating a "difficult" opening day test against Nottingham Forest at St James' Park - but admits that Newcastle United's determination to have a better start to the season than last year is driving everybody on.
There were just 20 shopping days before Christmas when Newcastle finally beat Burnley last winter as they triumphed at the 15th attempt of asking in the Premier League. Howe is praying it will be different this time around.
Forest will rock up on Gallowgate having spent 23 years playing outside the top division and recovering from a dip into third flight football. Howe admits that the meeting with Steve Cooper's Wembley play-off winners Forest reminds him of his early Premier League years with AFC Bournemouth back in 2015.
Howe told Chronicle Live: "It is a difficult game. A newly promoted team is difficult home or away. I've been that newly promoted team and the energy and the positivity you get from the feeling of promotion is always there.
"A club the size of Nottingham Forest are going to have a lot of that momentum with them. So I think it's a very difficult one but certainly one we think we can win if we get all things going in the right direction. There is no easy game in the Premier League as we all know."
The fixture list has offered Newcastle the chance of a solid start with a home game against Forest then the long trip to Brighton & Hove Albion. But the fixture computer was as consistent as ever when handing Newcastle some demanding August assignments with a home clash with champions Man City and trip to Liverpool before the first international break.
Howe added: "After that (Forest) the fixtures are tough but that is the Premier League. A good start is important for us. We didn't have that last year and we are certainly looking to improve that this time."
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