Two unsung heroes from NUFC's incredible October as Benitez bargain and local lad step up

What a month it's been. We've battered Fulham in the capital, put five past Brentford, frustrated Man Utd at Old Trafford, made a statement at Spurs and conceded ZERO shots on target in comfortable home wins over Everton and Aston Villa.

Almiron has been on fire, Bruno and Botman a joy to watch and Wilson back amongst the goals, but there's two players who've been doing a brilliant job in the background while others have made the headlines. Fabian Schar and Sean Longstaff.

Starting with the Swiss international, it's fair to say he's been one of our most improved players under Eddie Howe. We've seen more sensational turnarounds from Almiron and Joelinton, but Schar has gone from inconsistent, erratic and error-prone to one of our most reliable players.

He's always had a huge amount of ability, yet it wasn't long ago he was being left out by Bruce and tipped for a summer exit, with a few of our former bosses suggesting he couldn't play in a back four.

12 months on, he's cut out those rash challenges, doesn't get sucked in to battles he can't win and is much more measured in everything he does, seeing him form a formidable, calm and classy partnership with the equally unflappable Sven Botman.

We've picked up three clean sheets this month and have the best defence in the Premier League, so it's time Schar was given the credit he deserves. He's justifying that two-year extension signed in April and continues to look one of our greatest bargains at £3m.

Then comes Sean Longstaff, who not only scored in that 4-1 win over Fulham but put his body on the line to draw a red card challenge out of Nathaniel Chalobah.

Since then, there can't be many Premier League players who've covered more ground than the Geordie midfielder who turned 25 just yesterday.

Like Schar, he was another player facing an uncertain future just a matter of months ago, yet he too is benefiting from Eddie Howe's arrival, showing the sort of form that helped him break into the first team under Rafa Benitez back in 2018.

He may lack pace and doesn't always look the most mobile, but his pressing and ability to cover every blade of grass has been evident over our unbeaten run, with his use of the ball also much improved in our 4-0 win over Aston Villa.

So, while 'neutrals' and some in the media claim our upturn in form is all down to money, we have a £3m bargain and Academy graduate playing out of their skin, joining Almiron, Joelinton and Krafth in the list of pre-takeover players who've turned things around since Howe's arrival.