It's worth noting that the team's league form suffered when they were last in the Champions League two seasons ago, and injuries were a significant factor. There are already signs that a similar pattern is emerging this season, although they have managed to win two of their three Champions League games so far, losing the other to Barcelona and a resurgent Marcus Rashford.

One positive note is the form of new striker Nick Woltemade, who has scored six goals in 11 games. He needs only 10 more goals to join the top 10 scorers for Newcastle in the past five seasons.

The team is still missing the firepower of Alexander Isak, who left for Liverpool and scored 62 goals and 10 assists in 109 games for Newcastle. Losing that kind of talent has had a significant impact on the team's performance, particularly given the off-pitch issues the team has faced, including problems with the sporting director and the need to adhere to the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules.

These rules were introduced to prevent teams from overspending on transfers, and it's clear that they have had an impact on Newcastle's ability to compete at the highest level. The team's performance is still a long way from the kind of success they had with Isak on the pitch, and a Premier League title now seems like a distant dream.

From Eddie Howe's perspective, he has done as much as he can with the resources available to him. In 187 games in charge, he has won 95, drawn 40, and lost 52, scoring 322 goals and conceding 217. His win percentage of 50.8% is better than some of his predecessors, and fans would still choose to have the Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain and the Carabao Cup final win over Liverpool.

Newcastle's stuttering start to the season is a concern, but they do play some of the best football in the Premier League when they're on song. The team has scored fewer goals than six other teams in the division, and while they have had some bright moments, they are lacking a key player in Yoane Wissa, who has been missed in a goalscoring sense.

The Carabao Cup has provided some relief from the pressures of the Premier League, and Newcastle are within touching distance of another Wembley date if they can beat Fulham in their quarter-final and then overcome their semi-final opponents.

The pressure is on Eddie Howe to turn the team's performance around, and with managers often being the fall guy when things don't go well, he will understand that if the team's league position and performance don't improve, he may be the one to lose his job.

Some creative transfer dealings in January could help to re-energize the squad, and it's essential that Nick Woltemade stays injury-free, as he has been a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season.

The next couple of months will define the Magpies' season, and if the status quo remains after January, Eddie Howe will have a hard time justifying his position to the powers that be, even with the attractive football they're playing.