Newcastle United are in their best form since the 2001/02 season when they qualified for the Champions League under Sir Bobby Robson.
Back then, at the same 19-game point of the Premier League season, they had 39 points in the bag and went on to finish fourth. This season they sit on 38 points at the halfway stage of what has been an unbelievable campaign so far with Eddie Howe's team exceeding everybody's expectations so far.
But Howe is eyeing even more from his players in the second half of the 2022/23 campaign. After beating Fulham, Howe said: "It's been a really good first half of the season for us.
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"We've improved from the start of the season to now. I think there's still more growth in the team to come. I'm very pleased with the players' commitment and what they've delivered for the team and for me and the club, so I think we're in a good place. "But the challenge only gets harder."
Newcastle head to Selhurst Park on Saturday night for a televised evening game by which time Crystal Palace will have hosted Manchester United and Man City could also move further away from Newcastle with a game against Tottenham Hotspur tomorrow.
Should City take the points against Spurs it would give Newcastle the chance to put an eight-point gap between themselves and Antonio Conte's side. Tottenham then go to Fulham on Sunday for a tough London derby.
Howe is staying focused on his own team and said: "We have massive games on the horizon. Hopefully, it can be a positive turning point in our season, but that remains to be seen."
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