Jamaal Lascelles has revealed the blueprint that has pushed in-form Newcastle to fourth place.
Boss Rafa Benitez has the youngest outfield starting line-up in the Premier League — with an average age of just 24.4 years. That guarantees hunger, industry and a desire to improve... with no big-time superstars to wreck team spirit.
Throw in a belief in Benitez’s methods, and it’s no wonder skipper Lascelles thinks his Magpies will prosper this season.
Defender Lascelles is 23, play-maker Mikel Merino is 21, Isaac Hayden 22, Chancel Mbemba 23 and Christian Atsu 25.
Lascelles joked: “Only Matt Ritchie spoils it,” yet Ritchie is just 28, and has been United’s chief goal-maker (11 assists to his name) in the past year.
How far youthful exuberance and team spirit can take this team remains to be seen. Survival is still the main target following promotion in May.
But, after three straight wins — including Saturday's 2-1 defeat of visitors Stoke — the Toon Army are dreaming of a push for Europe.
“We’ve got such a young team and I think it gives us a big advantage in terms of energy – that counts when we play against teams a little bit older," said Lascelles. “We can really get about the pitch and get down in people’s boots.
“Our inexperience is a strength. The energy is there but we do have our own experience.
“We have big characters and a good mentality, no big-time players. Everybody has to work 110 per cent – if they don’t, they will be sat on the bench. We don’t want to get too carried away but we’re definitely on the up.”
Atsu opened the scoring from Ritchie’s cross and, after Joselu missed three good chances to double the lead, Xherdan Shaqiri equalised in the 57th minute.
Inspirational Lascelles, who also scored the winner at Swansea a week ago, repeated his heroics on Tyneside, heading the decisive goal 10 minute later.
In their last top-flight campaign, 2015-16, it took doomed Newcastle until November 7 to get to nine points — now they’re already there, with September barely half-gone.
Lascelles added: “Two seasons ago, it would have been a different story after they equalised. Back then, heads would drop if a side equalised against us and we’d be looking around each other asking ‘who is going to step up?’
“But it’s not like that now. Individually and collectively, we roll up our sleeves and keep going. We know that we’re going to get another chance and we’ve got players on the bench who are itching to come on.
“It’s not like it was. We’re different players with a different mentality and we keep fighting until the final whistle goes.”
Players unsettled by summer transfer rumours are quickly changing the story.
Lascelles said: “Of course people want you to sign players for £25million and bring in big names but we’re working with what we’ve got. It’s a similar squad to last year with a few added players who have helped us. The success of last season has given us momentum.
“As players, we know we’re good enough to give anyone a good run.
Stoke boss Mark Hughes says the fixture list has held back his side.
He said: “We have had a difficult run of games — and it’s Chelsea next. But come October the fixtures will be a little bit kinder and we’ll pick up points.”
Hughes said he’d warned his players to be wary of Lascelles at set-pieces: “It was the right ball right onto his head and we had talked about that after his goal at Swansea. But I don’t think there was too much between the teams.”