Opinion

Two wins, three draws and three defeats is a worse Newcastle United start to the 25-26 season in the Premier League than we wanted or probably expected.

Despite the loss at the Amex on Saturday, which was no great surprise, we are still averaging more than a point a game; just.

There’s no avoiding the bald fact, however, that nine points is the lowest return after eight matches from any of the four seasons we have started with Eddie Howe in situ.

I’m not calling it a hot seat because, regardless of the goings-on at other clubs, such as Nottingham Forest, if we were to sack him it would be the biggest surprise at St James’ Park since Leon Best scored a hat-trick against West Ham on his Premier League debut for the Mags in early January 2011.

Incidentally, I do have to claim a bit of credit for that 5-0 under the midweek lights. While walking from Haymarket Metro station towards the ground, I was tempted by a poster in the window of a branch of that omnipresent Gosforth-based bakery chain.

The details say as much about food price inflation as they do about...