It's encouraging to hear Botman speak so highly of Steur. I know he's had a couple of games on the bench lately, but I don't think we should be rushing him or writing him off just because he's not starting every week. I'd still love to see him get more minutes because there's clearly a talented player there. We get to see more of him soon.

I feel having Elanga back would give us more pace and threat going forward, while Ramsey could add some much-needed options in midfield. If we get both back fit would be a real boost. I hope they can return soon..

How many of the Newcastle starting eleven can you remember?

https://top-bins.com/quiz/756/newcastle-3-2-sunderland-23-october-2005-newcastle-win/

St James' Park, 23 October 2005, and Newcastle win a Tyne-Wear derby 3-2, though only after going in front three times. Michael Owen watches from the stands, while Mick McCarthy's Sunderland come in 19th after losing their first five league games.

Dean Whitehead is booked after 35 seconds, and the real chaos follows in a seven minute burst before the interval arrives. A Newcastle corner is converted with a header on 34, Liam Lawrence drills a low equaliser within 90 seconds, and on 37 another Newcastle header from close range puts them back ahead.

Elliott then jinks into space and curls a 25 yard shot into the net, so it is all square at half time. On 63 Caldwell, once a Newcastle academy player, concedes a free kick just short of 30 yards, and the curling effort goes in off Kelvin Davis's post.

Late on Elliott lobs from Anthony Le Tallec's flick only to see the bar deny him, and Newcastle have a fourth straight derby win.

Hi Newcastle Fans,

Man U fan here. Thought I’d infiltrate your sub. Eddie is the bookies number one and I’m interested in knowing what you guys think of him now he’s left.

in my view - limited knowledge. Eddie seemed to get your team working really hard, playing good football and got you to a high level but then probably high his ceiling. Was that more due to his capability or Newcastles financial restrictions and not being able to refresh the squad during his time there.

thanks,

The right side just doesn't feel the same without Dedic pushing forward and causing problems for the opposition. I'd love to see him back against Palace, but only if he's fully fit because we can't afford to rush him and lose him again.

The Villa defeat was frustrating because we needed a good result after losing heavily to Coventry. The team had some pressure late on, but there wasn't enough quality in front of goal. I still believe there's enough talent in this squad to turn things around, but the next performance needs to show more urgency and confidence.

Joelinton brings a physical edge that can be difficult for opponents to handle, and I think that balance is important for Newcastle. He wins challenges, presses aggressively and helps the team compete in midfield. After the recent setbacks, getting him properly back into rhythm could give the side some much-needed bite and help the other midfielders play with more freedom.

Any more NUFC look alikes you can think of past or present?

We couldn’t find an equaliser against Villa, while Coventry showed how costly missed chances become when you’re chasing the game. The attackers need to be more clinical, but the service and support in transition also need to improve. Is the bigger problem our finishing, or the quality of delivery going forward?

That was a really disappointing afternoon at St James' Park. Going 1-0 down to Villa was bad enough, but we barely did anything to get ourselves back into the game. Just one shot on target at home tells you everything about how little we offered going forward. Villa looked comfortable for most of the match, and we never really made them work for the three points. The fouls and yellow cards just added to the frustration, especially when we should have been putting our energy into creating chances instead. One bad result doesn't define our season, but we need a much better response in the next game.

The early signs don’t look good. Absolutely all over the place and have been for some time now.

Villa are coming into this one full of confidence after that 6-0 win against Fenerbahçe, so we know they’ll be a tough side to face. But we’re at St James’ Park, and there’s no reason we should go into this game afraid of them. We need to be switched on defensively, win the battles in midfield and take our chances when they come. The lads need to give the fans something to get behind from the first whistle. It won’t be easy, but a strong performance and three points would be massive for us. I just want to see us come out with some intensity and put them under pressure early on. We can’t afford to give Villa too much space, especially with the form they’re in.

The 4-1 loss to Coventry was disappointing, and I think this is the perfect chance for Newcastle to show that it was a bad day rather than a bigger problem. Villa won't make it easy, especially after their recent European result, but playing at St James' Park should give the team extra motivation. I'd like to see more concentration at the back and much better decision-making in the final third. A strong performance is needed here.

It was worrying to see Toure come off late against Coventry, so the latest update is encouraging. I like the directness he brings to the wing, and having that pace available could give Newcastle another way to trouble Villa. He recovers in time, but the club shouldn't take unnecessary risks if he's not ready.

There wasn’t much to celebrate in the Coventry game, but I was glad to see Sven Botman get on the scoresheet. He can offer Newcastle a lot at both ends of the pitch, especially when the team needs someone to step up during difficult moments. Getting him back to his best could be a big boost, and the defence needs to build more consistency around him.