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Newcastle<\/a> are certainly enjoying life back at Europe’s top table. <\/p>\n Howe’s side are the top scorers in the Champions League with 26 goals, and have won six games in a single campaign in the competition for the first time.<\/p>\n It has been quite a turnaround in the last two-and-a-half weeks.<\/p>\n Howe was the first to admit he was not doing his job “well enough” after his side were booed off by a section of supporters following a 3-2 defeat against Brentford<\/a> in the Premier League in their previous game at St James’ Park earlier this month.<\/p>\n The Newcastle<\/a> head coach embarked on some soul searching in the aftermath of the loss, while his players set out to “fight for the manager”.<\/p>\n Newcastle<\/a> have won four of their last five games in all competitions since, and secured a place in the knockout stage proper.<\/p>\n Given the revenue gap between the Premier League and a number of clubs on the continent, and the competitiveness of the top-flight, outsiders may question whether that should necessarily come as a huge surprise.<\/p>\n Even beleaguered Tottenham Hotspur<\/a>, who are hovering above the relegation zone in the Premier League, finished in the top eight of the league phase.<\/p>\n Yet the manner of Newcastle<\/a>‘s six Champions League victories against Qarabag, Benfica, PSV Eindhoven, Athletic Club and Union Saint-Gilloise were far from foregone conclusions.<\/p>\n Qarabag, for instance, had drawn against Chelsea<\/a> and defeated Benfica, Eintracht Frankfurt and Copenhagen. Newcastle<\/a> hammered the Azerbaijan Premier League champions.<\/p>\n Although Howe wanted more from his much-changed side in the 3-2 second-leg win on Tuesday night, Newcastle<\/a> have shown they can battle the continent’s elite on their day.<\/p>\n Newcastle<\/a> drew 1-1 against holders Paris St-Germain in the French capital last month and suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat at the hands of Barcelona in their opening game of the competition.<\/p>\n No wonder, then, defender Dan Burn feels Newcastle<\/a> can “compete with anybody” at their best.<\/p>\n “We’ve shown that, especially against Paris St-Germain, how good we can be,” he wrote in his programme notes.<\/p>\n “I think we elevate our game going into those games because there are bigger, better teams at this stage of the competition.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n