Eddie Howe has urged his Newcastle United players to maintain their current momentum when they face treble winners Manchester City on Saturday night.
Newcastle finished last season fourth in the Premier League – their highest finish since ending the 2002/23 season third under Bobby Robson – and began the new campaign with a superb 5-1 thrashing of Aston Villa.
But now the Magpies face the ultimate test when they take on Pep Guardiola's men, who defeated Sevilla on penalties in Wednesday's Uefa Super Cup.
Newcastle's record at City is abysmal – they have never won a Premier League game at the Etihad Stadium and last took three points no their when they won 1-0 in 2000 at Maine Road thanks to an Alan Shearer goal.
But optimism is sky high on Tyneside after their resurgence under Howe and the fact City played a draining match against Sevilla in the heat of Athens just three days ago could also count in their favour.
“We want our players to go there with all the positive emotions that our season last year and our first game of this season should bring. We have to be ourselves. We can't change,” said Howe during Friday's pre-game press conference.
“We want to become a top team consistently in the Premier League and to do that we have to have a clear identity and try to implement that on other teams.
“They went into a tough game [in the Super Cup] and were desperate to win, you could see their reactions afterwards. This is a team that will not be complacent. They will be ready for us so we expect a really good game.”
Last Saturday's win over Villa at Saturday was a hugely impressive one with Howe starting with Alexander Isak in the striker's role ahead of last season's top scorer Callum Wilson.
Newcastle 5 Villa 1: Player ratings
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NEWCASTLE PLAYER RATINGS: Nick Pope - 6. Made a good save to deny Diaby early in the game. Later forced into a brilliant save on Luiz in added time in the second half. Getty -
Kieran Trippier - 6. Nowhere near his marauding best on the right flank, but he still managed to put in a number of dangerous set pieces. Looked solid at the back. Getty -
Fabian Schar - 6. Did well to put Watkins under pressure and force him to hit an effort wide in the 25th minute. Made several blocks in the second half. AFP -
Sven Botman - 7. Displayed excellent vision to assist Isak’s goal with a cutback in the 16th minute. However, he was beaten far too easily by a Watkins stepover that left him on his backside just after the hour mark. Reuters -
Dan Burn - 6. Put in a block to stop Watkins from testing Pope on the stroke of half-time. Failed to keep a header on target when he got on the end of Trippier’s cross in the closing minutes of the first half. Reuters -
Bruno Guimaraes - 7. The Brazilian was central to most of the home side’s attack from the base of midfield. Unlucky to see his rasping effort saved by Martinez in the fifth minute. PA -
Joelinton - 6, A typical Joelinton performance in the middle of the field. The Brazilian never stopped running, or tracking the runs of Villa midfielders. Unlucky to see a header cleared off the line in the 81st minute. Getty -
Sandro Tonali - 8. Put the Magpies in the lead with his first goal for the club in the sixth minute. Could have made it two a few minutes later, but he failed to beat Martinez when he was played through on goal. Getty -
Miguel Almiron - 7. Got close to setting Isak up for his second of the day in the 50th minute, but his cross was played a tad too early. Unlucky not to get his name on the scoresheet as he had a number of half chances. AFP -
Anthony Gordon - 8. A livewire for the home side as he repeatedly dropped into spaces between Villa’s midfield and defence, and picked out the right passes. Grabbed the assist for the first goal with a lovely cross. Getty -
Alexander Isak - 9. Put the home side back in front with a simple side-footed finish in the 16th minute. Made it three with a beautiful dinked finish past Martinez in the 58th minute. Got very close to a hattrick, but he failed to beat Martinez when he was played through on goal by Almiron. PA -
SUBS: Harvey Barnes (Gordon 69') - 8. Combined well with fellow substitute Wilson to provide his first assist for the Magpies. Made it five with a well-deserved goal to open his account for the home side. Reuters -
Callum Wilson (Isak 69') - 7. Scored the home side’s fourth of the game with a well-taken finish high into the net. Had a good chance to score his second of the night but could only hit an effort straight at Martinez when he was played through on goal by Barnes. Getty -
Sean Longstaff (Guimaraes 86') - N/A. Came on and helped the home side keep things ticking over in midfield. Getty -
Jacob Murphy (Almiron 86') - N/A. Set Barnes up for his goal with a lovely pass behind Aston Villa’s defence. Getty -
ASTON VILLA PLAYER RATNGS: Emiliano Martinez - 5. Made a tremendous save to stop Guimaraes swerving an effort home in the fifth minute. Lucky to come away with just a yellow card after he fouled Almiron outside his penalty area in the first half. Reuters -
Matty Cash - 3. Could have done better to stop Tonali from putting the home side ahead in the sixth minute. Guilty of playing Botman onside for the Magpies second goal. He hit his effort high and wide when he had a gaping goal to aim at in the 64th minute. Reuters -
Ezri Konsa - 2. Brilliant interception to stop Almiron from running through on goal in the fifth minute of first-half extra time. Let himself and his team down when he inexplicably lost possession of the ball in his penalty area to allow Isak grab his second of the night. PA -
Tyrone Mings - 5. Did well to stop Isak from running through on goal without bringing him down early in the game. Had to leave the game with an injury in the 31st minute. PA -
Lucas Digne - 5. Picked up the first yellow card of the game after he needlessly stepped on the hands of Almiron. Hugely involved in the side’s first goal as his cross got flicked into the path of Diaby to hit home. Getty -
Douglas Luiz - 7. One of the away side’s best players on the night. Showed great stamina to get back and nip the ball off the foot of Guimaraes before he could test Martinez in the 23rd minute. Lovely give and go with Diaby to send the Frenchman behind the home side’s defence in the 42nd minute. EPA -
John McGinn - 5. A busy day for the Aston Villa captain in the middle of the pitch. He wasn’t at his best, but he never stopped running and making interceptions. EPA -
Boubacar Kamara - 5. Part of a midfield that got outplayed by the home side. Got caught ball-watching, which allowed Botman to ghost in and set up Isak for Newcastle’s second goal. Reuters -
Moussa Diaby - 8. Aston Villa’s best player on the day. Levelled the scoreline for the away side with a side-footed effort that left Pope rooted to a spot. Opted to shoot when crossing looked like the better option in the 42nd minute. Getty -
Leon Bailey - 4. Lost track of Gordon in the build-up to the home side’s opener. Failed to impose himself on the game and was subbed off at the break. PA -
Ollie Watkins - 6. Did well to flick the ball into the path of Diaby to drag Villia level in the 11th minute. Had a very good chance to equalise for the second time in the 25th minute, but he pulled his effort wide. Getty -
SUBS: Pau Torres (Mings 31') - 4. Came on and tried to keep things simple. Got caught out of possession as the home side ran riot in the second half. Reuters -
Youri Tielemans (Bailey 46') - 5. Put too much on his pass when he had the chance to play Diaby behind the Newcastle backline in the 61st minute. Displayed great stamina to shield Tonali off the ball and set up Coutinho in the closing stages. Getty -
Diego Carlos (McGinn 64') - 4. Brought on to help shore up the visitors’ backline, the defender couldn’t prevent the late Newcastle goal fest. Should have got a header on target in the 74th minute. Reuters -
Philippe Coutinho (Diaby 87') - N/A. He should have at least made Pope work when he got on the end of Tielemans’s cutback in the 89th minute. EPA -
Jaden Philogene (Cash 87') - N/A. Came on too late to make an impact. Getty
Isak repaid his manager's faith by scoring twice with Wilson also on target when the England attacker come off the bench in the second half.
Wilson admitted he used the disappointment of being a substitute as motivation when he did appear on the pitch and Howe admitted it had been a tough call to make before the game.
“It was very difficult,” he said. “One of those calls that I didn't look forward to making out of my love for Callum. My relationship with him is very strong and he's been outstanding for me as a manager.
“To make those calls and disappoint someone you love is very difficult. I had to make a call, and Alex performed really well and so did Callum; they both scored. Getting off the mark is important.”
As for Isak, the Swede continues to go from strength to strength since his club-record £63 million move from Real Sociedad last summer.
“I think he's coped with the move really well, especially when you consider he had an injury early on which was a hugely frustrating period for him.
"Sometimes the price tag can weigh heavy but I don't get that feeling with Alex – he's taken it all in his stride. He's performing really well, and he has done through pre-season so I'm hopeful he'll have a great season.”
Another bonus of last week was the debut of Sandro Tonali after his £60 millon summer switch from Italian giants AC Milan.
The Italian midfielder scored the first goal after just six minutes and earned rave reviews after the match for his superlative all-round performance that has instantly endeared him to home fans.
“The start is hugely important because it settles everyone down. You could see when he scored, the emotion coming out,” said Howe.
“The rest of his performance followed that, where he was excellent. Hopefully now he'll feel the love of the supporters and there will be an instant connection – that can only help him.”
Newcastle, meanwhile, are closing in on the signing of 18-year-old Chelsea defender Lewis Hall: “It’s a loan deal,” added Howe. “He’s a player I like – very versatile with really good potential.
“Let’s see what happens today. If we do bring a player in [Hall], that will be our transfer business concluded, [barring] injuries.”
