Man Utd, Barca hover for Newcastle's Cabaye

Nobody does ‘hope as despair’ better than Newcastle. Maybe Tottenham Hotspur.

However, the Magpies know only too well that flirting with top four dreams and nailing a place is what their striped history in the Premier League is all about.

That is why Alan Pardew does not want to continue this start to the season as a suggestion that he over-achieved last season.

Newcastle face a must-win game against a buoyant Everton side.

Must-win, simply because Newcastle now boast a squad of players that any club in the top four and definitely all clubs in a top 6, across Europe will be happy to have.

Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse would be snapped up in a jiffy, not least with the likes of Liverpool still short on strikers.

However, it is in the Geordie engine room that the real Newcastle hope lies.

Hatem Ben Arfa, Cheik Tiote and Yohan Cabaye have given Newcastle the chance to take real control of games and dictate the pace of play.

Continuing to languish in the middle of the table will not serve the interests of Pardew, Newcastle and especially not those three.

Come January, they may well feel the need to look elsewhere.

Cabaye, for the moment, speaks about a strong spirit.

“The right mentality is very important for us and we have that in the dressing room. The spirit is just as strong as it was last season,” he said.

He said: “I'm very happy here, I've never thought any different, and I'm very happy to play for Newcastle.

“It has been difficult for me so far this season, I don’t want to make excuses, but I’m getting back to full fitness.”

Cabaye, a France international was linked with moves to Barcelona and Manchester United, but Newcastle fought hard to keep him.

The need to start winning or it is a fight they may yet lose.