" It’s one of the great competitions. As I said when I walked through the door here, it would be great if we could have a little run in it.
“I remember in 2014 when Hull (managed by Bruce) got into the Cup final. If you ask all of their supporters what is there best memory of the past few years. It would be great.
That’s got to be the aim. You can win five games. We’re capable of winning five games or six games, whatever it is. So let’s hope it’s our year.”

Steve Bruce, Newcastle United Manager

Steve Bruce's Newcastle United side moved to 11th place in the Premier League table Thursday with an impressive 2-0 over much-lauded Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

Man of the moment JonJo Shelvey followed up his sublime late equaliser against Man City last Saturday with another goal which will be talked about for years, this time for different reasons as Newcastle sprung The Blades' offside trap and played on regardless of a wrongly- held-up linesman's flag against an ONside Andy Carroll, who flicked it on for Shelvey to run on and score past a faltering home goalkeeper and defence who rued the error of not playing to the whistle as VAR confirmed the goal.

Newcastle play Southampton at St. James' Park next on Sunday looking up the table just 4 points behind Wolves in 5th place, fully 5 points ahead of 3rd bottom Everton, who became the fourth club to sack their manager already this Premier League season when they relieved Marco Silva of his duties after a 4-2 reverse in the Merseyside derby.

Compared to last season's start under Rafa Benitez, Newcastle are thriving as well, having amassed 19 points and sitting mid-table compared to languishing in the bottom three until mid-January last season with just 18 points from the first 66 available.

If Newcastle can maintain their impressive form in the Premier League, The Magpies should be in a comfortable enough position to attack the FA Cup without the worry of constantly looking over their shoulders about being sucked into the relegation battle.

Newcastle were drawn against the lowest ranked teams left in the competition when they were drawn away to the winners of Rochdale and Boston United mid-week so - banana skins and giant-killings aside - should have a safe passage to the 4th round.

With VAR and Newcastle's impressive record and performances against the top teams this season - wins against Man United and Spurs and a big point vs Man City, the feeling that the black and whites can beat anybody anywhere on their day is a growing one.

Who better to cement the feeling anything is possible than signing Mario Balotelli?

The supremely-talented and controversial 29 year-old Italian international striker is available on a free from Brescia and is desperate to leave Serie A and an Italian game which is increasingly being marred by racism.

His goal-scoring talent is not in a doubt after a career so far that has seen him plunder 148 club goals in 372 games plus 14 in 36 for Italy and he's scored 2 in 8 for Brescia since August to go with the 8 goals in 15 games for Marseille in the first half of 2019.

Interestingly, there is an existing Newcastle link as Allan Saint-Maximin, the Magpies' ultra-popular summer signing had a great relationship on and off the pitch with Balotelli when the pair were both Nice players in the 2017-8 season and beyond.

Steve Bruce has often said a team is only as good as its goalscorers and the main area of concern for him and a lot of Newcastle fans this season is the current forwards and strikers not putting the ball in the back of the net with enough regularity this season.

Balotelli's arrival could change that as well as boosting the confidence of his teammates as its said by those close to him in the game that despite his bad boy reputation, he's as big a diamond as those he often wears in his ears.

Super Mario's arrival would certainly help put Newcastle centre stage on the world game as Balotelli is big news wherever he goes and is as fearless off the pitch expressing his opinions and personality as he is on it and would provide endless headlines.

Newcastle United has often been compared to a circus and who better to be the ultimate ring-master than the Clown Prince of 21st Century football himself Super Mario Balotelli who has won the FA Cup and the Premier and Champions Leagues as well?

Balotelli would fit into Newcastle's lone-striker role perfectly and would represent a serious statement of intent and ambition that could pay off spectacularly.