This has been an unusual five days for Newcastle, to say the least.
From the highs of promotion to the Premier League on Monday... to the lows of a HMRC investigation into transfer activity on Wednesday.
The players' preparations for this trip to Cardiff will not have been helped by the sight of officers searching the club's training ground.
Five changes by Rafa Benitez, too, suggests he thinks the title is already Brighton's.
Neil Warnock's side are safely tucking in mid-table but expect the hosts to be fully motivated as party-poopers in front of a bumper Friday night crowd.