Newcastle United's Champions League form offers hope of bright future under Eddie Howe

Aye, life has turned out canny for Geordie loyalists. Goodbye to Mike Ashley's poisonous era. Ta ta, Steve Bruce. Hello hope. Howe's that for a change of fortune!

Crystal Palace arrive at the cathedral on the hill with Newcastle truly the party city of reputation celebrating Premier League survival from the depths of despair and looking towards an exciting future.

Such has been United's charge to the sunny uplands of the mountain side that they are chasing their best winning streak at home in 18 years since they won six successive matches at St James' Park between January and April 2004 under Sir Bobby Robson.

Yet frankly if it ends in a draw we will care little. After what has gone before in our name a minor blip would be seen as another point gained rather than two lost.

However, hopefully Palace's bitter disappointment over an FA Cup semi-final defeat will outweigh suggestions that on the law of averages United cannot somehow keep manufacturing win after win after win at home by a single goal margin. What have Palace left to play for? We shall see.

Maybe both teams are squared up on the same points but there is still plenty to stir United blood like the newly secured sweet smell of rarefied air, pride after lengthy humiliation, and individuals wishing to make sure they are part of next season's development.

Defeat must be avoided of course because United still have title chasers Liverpool and Manchester City to come along with Arsenal and therefore some return is required to set up a trip to doomed Norwich before mammoth tests.

Let us finish with a flourish rather than a whimper. Recent heroics deserve that sort of climax. While Callum Wilson remains Newcastle's top marksman with six goals, despite not having played