Rafa Benitez is touting Sean Longstaff for England - he should really clarify which level. For if the 21-year-old starts to add goals to his already exemplary game, as he did here for the first time in the Premier League, then there is every argument for him being accelerated into Gareth Southgate's senior squad.
It is not just that Longstaff is playing well, he is out-performing everyone on the pitch, every week it seems. To think, he would probably have been on loan at League One Portsmouth if not for a spate of injuries before Christmas.
As it is, he has been the inspiration behind the four straight home victories which have taken Benitez's side to 13th and seven points clear of danger.
Newcastle celebrate with defender Fabian Schar after he opened the scoring with a stunning first half strike
The Swiss centre back (out of frame) took aim from long range and hit an unstoppable shot past Tom Heaton off his left post
Sean Longstaff doubled Newcastle's lead with his first Premier League goal in front of a delighted home crowd
Newcastle (3-4-1-2): Dubravka; Schar, Lascelles, Lejeune; Manquillo, Hayden, Longstaff (Diame 85), Ritchie; Almiron (Dummett 80); Ayoze (Joselu 87), Rondon
Unused subs: Darlow, Yedlin, Ki, Atsu
Goals: Schar 24, Longstaff 38
Booking: Longstaff 22
Burnley (4-4-2): Heaton; Bardsley, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor; Gudmundsson, Cork, Hendrick, McNeil (Brady 46); Barnes (Crouch 70), Wood (Vydra 83)
Unused subs: Hart, Lowton, Gibson, Ward
Bookings: Mee 38, Hendrick 60, Crouch 88
After a patient team move, Fabian Schar took aim from 25 yards and scored a stunning opening goal. For more stats and facts check out our exclusive MATCH ZONE service here.
Another mainstay of that run has been Switzerland centre-back Fabian Schar, who scored his third of the season and was only shaded for star-man honours by local hero Longstaff. 'He's one of our own' sang the home crowd, and they must be hoping he remains so for a long time yet.
The beauty of the breakthrough goal was in stark contrast to the stodgy start made by both teams. In true Swiss tradition, this was like clockwork, for Schar has a liking for the 24th minute. It was during last month's visit of Cardiff, after an equally
