Which category Billy Davies’ Forest fall into is hard to say. Their exploits under
Brian Clough make them one of the division’s biggest names but it is ten years since they last played in the Premier League and they are still rebuilding after three season in English football’s third tier. Many were expecting Newcastle to find life outside of the top-flight as difficult as Forest have, but the Magpies are the division’s early front-runners.
“I think at the start of the season we’d have been happy with a three-point cushion,” Guthrie reflected. “We could have extended that against Bristol City but the most important thing was not to get beaten.
“The key has just been the togetherness of the squad and the quality. Mainly it’s the hard work and togetherness of everyone.” As Guthrie acknowledged, it is at St James’s Park where the “lesser” sides can be most troublesome, as playing away from home can limit their ambition to packing men behind the ball in search of a 0-0 draw. With that in mind, the former Liverpool product is pleased his side have a new attacking option in Harewood. Newcastle’s summer striker exodus left them with a handful of talented strikers all with similar qualities. The pace of Harewood, on loan from Aston Villa, adds a different dimension and the 30-year-old has already scored his first goal for the club while he searches for match fitness.
“The loan signings have made a big difference,” commented Guthrie. “They’ve all played recently and done really well. Danny Simpson’s done great at right-back and (Zurab) Khizanishvili looks a good player.
“Marlon’s the newest and you can see what he brings. He’s a different option. He’s big, strong, he’s got good pace and he can score goals.
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