Captain consistency leading from the front as Magpies make their mark again in top flight
7½/10 Appearances: 11 Clean sheets: 3 THE 31-year-old was told by Rafa Benitez at the start of the summer he might find himself playing second fiddle to a new goalkeeper this season - but the Newcastle manager did not get his wish to recruit an additional shot-stopper.
As a result, Elliot has retained the gloves – and has played a crucial role in victories over Crystal Palace and Swansea City in particular.
Questions still remain over Elliot’s distribution but his shot-stopping has been without question. 7/10 9/10 Appearances: 10 (+1 sub) Goals: 2 STARTED the season on the bench but ever since then the Newcastle captain has been one of the most consistent performers in the side.
The 24-year-old is improving with every passing game and his leadership skills have even drawn praise from Alan Shearer.
Hopefully his current ankle injury does not keep him sidelined for long. Appearances: 7 (+1 sub) Goals: 1 THE Republic of Ireland international has not been as consistently excellent as he was last term but he is dependable – one lapse in concentration against Liverpool aside.
Clark has lost his place in the XI in recent weeks but he is a Benitez favourite and the 28-year-old is likely to feature at Old Trafford. 7½/10 Appearances: 5 Goals: 0 THE Frenchman loses a half mark for HAD you offered the majority of Newcastle United fans during the summer 11th place in the Premier League table by mid-November then surely the majority would have taken that.
Rafa Benitez was unable to bring in signings in key positions and the Magpies’ squad clearly lacked Premier League experience – and quality – once the transfer window closed.
Yet four wins from their opening 11 league matches has seen the Magpies briefly flirt with the top six and then settle into a mid-table position.
How has each individual Magpie performed so far this season? Have they grasped their Premier League chance?
Here, NUFC writer CHRIS WAUGH rates how the 20 Newcastle players who have featured in the league so far this season have performed... the penalty he conceded against Southampton - but aside from that his swift adaptation to English football has been impressive.
Cool and composed in possession, powerful in the air and a good reader of the game, the 26-year-old looks to have been a positive summer acquisition. 6/10 Appearances: 4 (+1 sub) Goals: 0 ASKED to cover as a makeshift leftback early in the season, the Democratic Republic of Congo international did a more than decent job there.
However, Mbemba appears to be merely fourth-choice centre-back and the 23-year-old has struggled to even gain a place on the bench in recent weeks. 6/10 Appearances: 7 Goals: 0 THE American sat out the start of the campaign through injury and Newcastle missed his pace on the break.
Whether the USA’s failure to qualify for next year’s World Cup has affected him too it is unclear but the 24-year-old is yet to show the devastating attacking form he is capable of this term. Appearances: 9 Goals: 0 THE 23-year-old was an underwhelming summer signing given his previous spells at Liverpool and Sunderland but he is clearly improving under Benitez’s tutelage. Manquillo is better in attack than he is in defence but he has done a reasonable job playing at left-back given he is right-footed – particularly considering he was signed as back-up but Benitez has been forced to field him regularly. 6/10 Appearances: 1 Goals: 0 EXTREMELY harsh to even give him a rating considering he managed just seven minutes of the opening game before being forced off with a hamstring injury.
The 26-year-old is back in full training now, though – and Benitez is keen to have the leftback return to the side.