The 6-1 drubbing of Tottenham Hotspur? The St James' Park win over Manchester United? Any of the Carabao Cup thrillers on the way to final? Nope, Eddie Howe says his favourite Newcastle United game of the season was the curtain-raiser against Nottingham Forest!
The Magpies got their campaign off to a flyer, beating the newly-promoted side 2-0 at St James' Park back in August. A Fabian Schar screamer and a second-half Callum Wilson saw Newcastle take all three points as they started as they meant to go on.
"My mind and memory blurs into one but I'll go back to the start I think," Howe said when quizzed over his favourite match of this incredible season.
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"The first game of the season is really important. The performance against Nottingham Forest was really good and in some respects that sets the marker for what's to follow. We never really looked back from that moment."
Howe has remained tight-lipped over the prospect of bringing Champions League football back to Tyneside but could finally bring himself to reflect on the achievement on Monday. However, the Newcastle boss won't be satisfied until he has brought silverware to Tyneside.
"It's a slightly different feeling," said Howe, comparing the guarantee of a top four finish to making the League Cup final earlier this season. "With the cup final, you're going to win a competition and a trophy, which was very high on our priority list when I came here.
"This is a different accomplishment. Now, we're going into the best competition. I don't think that achievement should be underestimated. To break that monopoly of the top four is so tough. It's a massive achievement for us."
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