It's not been a very good season for Newcastle. There's no way around that. Indeed, the Magpies have really struggled this season after a tough summer window, and things have shown very few signs of imminent improvement.

However, there have been some positives. Rafael Benitez continues to impress despite his tough environment, whilst the arrival of Miguel Almiron back in January bodes well for the future of the club.

There's also been the emergence of a homegrown talent in the form of Sean Longstaff.

Over the last few weeks, Longstaff has emerged as one of the brightest players to come out of the Newcastle Academy in a while, and with good reason. He stepped up to the plate when the Magpies needed midfield reinforcement, and he looked more than comfortable under Rafel Benitez. Offering composure, agility and quality on the ball, he was a breath of fresh air.

He's now featured regularly for Newcastle over the last couple of weeks, with 5 league appearances under his belt this term. He's still raw and developing, but he's exactly what Newcastle needed.

Interestingly, the Chronicle reports that he's now being monitored by the England under-21 team with a view to a call-up, and there's no denying that he deserves exactly that. For all of Newcastle's woes, he's been an undeniable highlight, and international acclaim is exactly what he deserves.

At this stage, the sky is the limit for the 21-year-old. He's clearly got the backing of his manager, and with his country now potentially coming calling, the only way is up - for him, and for Newcastle.

Thoughts?