What is it with Newcastle United and the Premier League? Is it just not glamorous enough? Is there not the excitement, the buzz, that the Champions League and defending the Carabao Cup brings with Wembley on the horizon?

Really it beggars belief and is simply not acceptable. Get a grip or we'll not be back next season enjoying gorging ourselves at Europe's elite table. Qualification will be beyond us.

I ask you, we gifted West Ham their first Premier League home win in eight months dating way back to February 27. A club that has been beaten and broken having made their worst start to a campaign in 52 years.

The Hammers had been getting hammered. They had lost every game on their own turf to spark mutiny on the terraces. The owner was getting it in the neck.

So jittery were they that they handed Newcastle the sort of dream start they dole out like candy to virtually every team they play. When Jacob Murphy scored in...