Newcastle United got there in the end against Fulham.
Despite playing three games in the space of a week in the midst of an injury crisis that refuses to relent, Newcastle edged past the Cottagers thanks to a late goal from Bruno Guimaraes.
It wasn’t particularly convincing and Eddie Howe’s side started so badly that he had to have harsh words with his players but, frankly, who cares?
Three points and a rare clean sheet offer reasons to be positive, while Newcastle are now just a point behind seventh-placed West Ham with a game in hand on them.
To be doing this with so few options defensively is testament to the work of Howe and his coaching staff.
Indeed, only the top five and Newcastle themselves have scored more goals at home than Fulham this season (29), so stopping them in their tracks is no mean feat.
Newcastle of course are without most of their first-choice defence, as well as goalkeeper. When the PIF takeover went through, supporters surely wouldn’t have expected to see Emil Krafth operating at right-back over two years into the new era.
The injury crisis has meant players have had to step up.
Lewis Hall, after all, has impressed Howe on the training pitch of late and was hailed for his performance as a substitute in the win over West Ham by teammate Guimaraes.
The teenager is still expected to make a £28m permanent move to St James’ Park this summer despite previously struggling for game time amid doubts about his defending behind the scenes.
He shrugged off a knock against Everton to play at Craven Cottage and was applauded by a certain former Newcastle player in Bobby Clark.
Bobby Clark applauds Lewis Hall for his performance in Newcastle’s win at Fulham
After the game, Hall took to Instagram to caption a collage of himself in action: “Big 3pts – amazing support as always.”
Clark, who has played with Hall at various England youth levels, responded with a hand clapping emoji.
Bobby Clark may be Lewis Hall’s Newcastle teammate in the future
Academy manager Steve Harper recently admitted it was a great shame that Newcastle couldn’t keep Clark out of the clutches of Liverpool, who he joined in 2021.
Still, perhaps Clark will one day return.
Prizing him away from Anfield will surely be difficult but father Lee, a former Toon hero himself, claimed he’d love to see his son come back.
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