Matt Ritchie's glaring miss of the season against Burnley on Monday evening has made plenty of headlines. 

The 29-year-old has received a lot of criticism by his own set of fans, as well as the general football public on social media, but it's getting a point where his miss has overshadowed the excellent result.

Rafa Benitez's men recorded their third straight win after a horrible start to the season. An away win was a massive statement which proved that the club aren't out of sorts and the manager is still very much capable of getting decent results with this current group of players.

Ritchie has been one of the most important players for the club this season, and one of vert few that have performed consistently week-in and week-out.

Since moving to the north east club from Bournemouth in 2016, Ritchie has shown that he is a special player that never backs away from a challenge and thrives from commitment, as well as passion.

To be honest, he is exactly the type of player a team like Newcastle, and many other smaller clubs need. During the difficult spells he was the one that stood out and tried to get his team mates together when they go behind in a match.

His missed attempt did not cost the Magpies the match, fortunately enough, and the stick he's getting is unnecessary, especially in terms of his confidence, which is supposed to be sky-high at the moment.

Some of the best players in the world have missed equally guilt-edged chances in the past: think Fernando Torres for Chelsea at Old Trafford back in 2011.

The professional attitude that Ritchie has should make it easy for him not to mute those critics who have lambasted him for his miss.

Newcastle host West Ham United at St James's Park on Saturday and they will be eyeing a fourth consecutive victor, which will depend on whether Ritchie is focused and ready to perform on the pitch.

Newcastle fans - thoughts? Let us know below!