Newcastle United left-back Matt Targett has outlined the club's next challenge when they return to regular Premier League football later this month.
The Magpies have enjoyed an incredible start to their season, losing just one of their opening 15 matches with manager Eddie Howe and players like Miguel Almiron earning all the plaudits after winning Manager/Player of the Month awards in October.
And while Targett hasn't been as involved as much as someone like Almiron has been so far this campaign, he's had to play his part well from the substitute bench after signing for Newcastle in the summer.
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However, with the World Cup currently ongoing in Qatar, England's top two divisions have been forced to halt all play over the latter half of November and almost all of December.
And while the Championship is set to resume this weekend, the Magpies' next game comes in the form of a Boxing Day trip to Leicester City - over a month and a half since their 1-0 win over Chelsea on November 12.
Many fans have noted this winter break is just one of many reasons why the World Cup shouldn't have been held in a desert nation right in the middle of all top European leagues and Targett agrees that it doesn't help their momentum.
Speaking to nufc.co.uk at their training camp in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Targett noted how the break might've halted their progress but that it's simply something else to climb above and he's certain that they can preserve their third place in the league table.
"I think the break came at the wrong time for us, but it's just another challenge that we need to rise to. It'll be important that we kick off where we left off.
"In that first part of the season we did unbelievable, so we'll take it game at a time - I know it's a horrible saying, but we go into every match wanting to win, so who knows? We haven't set ourselves any targets, but we're in a very good position and it's our job to try and maintain that. I'm sure it'll be a special season."
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