1 AYOZE PEREZ IS FIRMLY ESTABLISHED AS NEWCASTLE’S NUMBER TEN

Ayoze Perez has been one of Newcastle United’s most frustrating players in the last few seasons. The talent is clearly there, but the Spaniard has never really been able to produce a consistent run of form in a black-and-white shirt.

The Northern Echo:

He was in and out of the side last term, with Rafael Benitez tending to mix-and-match him with Mo Diame, but he has started all of this season’s league games and has been one of the unsung heroes of the Magpies’ march up the table.

Other players might have hogged the headlines at the weekend, but Perez’s energetic closing down of opponents and intelligent movement between the lines were key features of Newcastle’s win over Stoke.

A lack of composure in front of goal remains an issue, but Perez has looked good so far this season and is a much better bet than the much more pedestrian Diame in the ‘number ten’ role.


2 THE RIVERSIDE IS GOING TO BE A MUCH MORE ENTERTAINING PLACE THIS SEASON

Could you imagine Aitor Karanka’s Middlesbrough winning 3-2? There were plenty of occasions under their former manager when Boro would have struggled to record three shots over the course of 90 minutes, let alone score three goals.

The Northern Echo:

The conservatism of the Karanka era has been banished, replaced by a much more adventurous approach under Garry Monk.

Saturday’s starting line-up against QPR featured two orthodox wingers in Marvin Johnson and Stewart Downing, an out-and-out centre-forward in Britt Assombalonga and an attacking midfielder with an eye for goal in the guise of Lewis Baker.

Monk’s Middlesbrough look like they might concede more goals than Karanka’s version, but they also look a much more threatening proposition in attack. That should make for some entertaining encounters this season.


3 IT WON’T BE LONG BEFORE SUNDERLAND CAN CALL ON DUNCAN WATMORE

While Sunderland’s first team were drawing at Hull on Saturday, Duncan Watmore was at the opposite side of the country playing for the Black Cats’ Under-23s at Manchester City.

The Northern Echo:

It was the youngster’s first appearance since he damaged his knee ligaments at the start of last December, and things went well as he scored an early penalty during his 45-minute run-out.

Simon Grayson does not want to rush things, and there is no chance of Watmore being involved in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup game at Everton. He is also unlikely to be in the squad for Saturday’s home game with Cardiff.

However, we should see him in the first team before the next international break, and his return will provide a huge boost to a Sunderland side lacking goalscoring options in the absence of leading scorer Lewis Grabban.


4 SOUTH SHIELDS ARE THE MOST IN-FORM SIDE IN THE NORTH-EAST

The Northern Echo:

Darlington’s demise continued as they were dumped out of the FA Cup at the weekend, but for all that the Quakers are stuck in a rut at the moment, credit should go to the side that ended their interest in the competition.

South Shields are two leagues below Darlington, but made a mockery of that gap as they cruised to a deserved 3-0 win at Blackwell Meadows.

The Mariners are a team on the up, with their weekend cup success meaning they have lost just one of their last 48 matches in all competitions.

That is a remarkable statistic, and means they could well find themselves celebrating another promotion this season and moving within one division of the likes of Darlington, York and Spennymoor.


5 TOW LAW LIKE AN UPHILL BATTLE

Given the location of their Ironworks Ground way above sea level, Northern League side Tow Law Town are unlikely to be fazed by an uphill battle.

They faced one on Saturday, trailing 2-0 to Ryton and Crawcrook, but turned things around with the comeback of the weekend as they eventually ran out 4-2 winners.

Dean Thexton’s hat-trick was the key to their victory, with Lewis Teasdale also finding the target as the Lawyers dominated the second half.

The win means they are now unbeaten in 11 games in the Second Division of the Northern League, and leaves them five points clear of Northallerton Town at the top of the table.