Rafa Benitez has challenged his Newcastle players to continue to confound their critics.
The Magpies headed into the weekend fourth in the table after recording three successive top-flight victories for the first time since 2014 and travel to Brighton, promoted alongside them last season, on Sunday.
Benitez said that although he knew tougher times would come, he was urging his players to "keep going, keep working hard and we will have more chances to get points every game."
He said: "If you said: 'Are you happy to be the surprise or to be at the bottom?