Another three points earned by Newcastle United courtesy of Yoan Gouffran and DeAndre Yedlin’s goals, and here are the key issues to emerge from the victory at Derby.

THE FRENCH AREN’T FINISHED

It doesn’t seem too long ago when Newcastle’s squad was overloaded with players signed from the French league and Gouffran was one of those.

Many expected him to leave during the summer but he remained and he will take some shifting from his left-wing berth at this rate. For the third game in a row Gouffran impressed, only this time he got a stunning goal to go with it.

It was his first since January 2015 and it might not be as straight forward for Christian Atsu to force his way into the side as it might have been a month ago. Gouffran is in form and an asset on this evidence.

FREEDOM FOR JONJO

The decision to play Shelvey further forward is working. It did against Brighton and it did once more at the iPro Stadium because he has greater freedom to roam around and link play.

The £10m man had looked like he was struggling to force his way in under Rafael Benitez, but he is growing in confidence and his variety of passes can quickly turn defence into attack for the Magpies – as the first half proved here.

Yet Benitez still has the option of asking him to slot back into a more withdrawn role when he feels like it is necessary and that happened in the second half, before he then sent over the cross for Newcastle’s second.

RESULTS BUSINESS

For the third Championship game in a row Newcastle won without conceding. They were only at their best in spells during the game, but they didn’t really look like letting one even if the Derby fans they should have had a couple of penalties.

But Benitez has always spoken of the need to make sure his team can churn out results at this level and that doesn’t mean in style. He has always been known as a coach who likes his teams to be organised and that’s what this Newcastle is becoming.

Newcastle were efficient and effective to get the job done – and that is what will be required in the months ahead to secure promotion next May.

DARYL’S TOUGH TEST

There was no Daryl Murphy in the squad at Derby even if he did score for Ireland in midweek. Aleksandar Mitrovic made the bench, with Dwight Gayle preferred in attack.

Murphy, the £3m buy from Ipswich, will get his chance and when it arrives it will be important he takes it because Newcastle will win more often not this season so opportunities to start ahead of Mitrovic and Gayle might not come along too often.

Murphy might have the extensive Championship experience, but Mitrovic is an expensive powerhouse and Gayle a proven goalscorer – who found chances few and far between today - so it will certainly not be easy. And then there’s Ayoze Perez too who teed up the second.

RAFAEL BENITEZ

“I am really pleased because we defended together and attacked together. We have to give credit to Yoan Gouffran, he is working hard and he score a goal. He has reacted very well and has been a very good professional. We had control in the last minute but it was nice that we pushed in the last minute. We made mistakes in the first few games, but now we are not conceding and we look more solid. Everyone is working hard and we are defending together. It is difficult to keep a clean sheet so I am really pleased.”

NIGEL PEARSON

“We are annoyed about the way we conceded the goal. We switched off and that remains a frustration for us. The second wasn’t pretty and that sums things up for us. Now is the time for me to keep a calm head and work through this. I don’t like losing games, but I can’t be critical after that. I have to praise the players. I can’t hide from one goal in six games. It must be on the players’ minds. It’s a case of working through the problems.”