For the first time this season, Newcastle United have finally won two games in a row. Eddie Howe’s side have struggled to get a good run of form going, with some tough fixtures including visits from Liverpool and Arsenal in the Premier League, and Barcelona in the Champions League.

Yet, the Magpies will surely be relieved to be heading into the October international break with two consecutive wins. They thrashed Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise 4-0 away from home in Europe, before beating Nottingham Forest 2-0 at St James’ Park last weekend.

New signing Nick Woltemade scored in both games to continue his excellent start to life in the North East.

Woltemade’s Newcastle career so far

There was certainly a lot of pressure on Woltemade when he made the move to St James’ Park from Stuttgart this summer. The £69m fee Newcastle paid was a club record, and stepping into the shoes of Alexander Isak was never going to be easy.

Yet, the German international has certainly hit the ground running so far. The 23-year-old is only seven games into his Magpies career so far, but he’s already bagged four goals. That includes three strikes in just four games in the Premier League.

The latest of those goals came in Sunday afternoon’s 2-0 win against Ange Postecoglou’s Forest side. Woltemade scored from the penalty spot, emphatically firing home into the top right corner from 12 yards out.

There has certainly been high praise for the German attacker, with legendary Magpies striker Alan Shearer complimenting his form so far.

The all-time Premier League top goalscorer said he should be “really pleased” to have made such a “promising” start to life in the North East.

The 23-year-old has shone for the Magpies over the past week. With that being said, there was a striker once on Newcastle’s books who has outscored Woltemade this season already.

Looking back on it, perhaps the Magpies wish they’d have kept him at the club.

The ex-Newcastle star outscoring Woltemade

Newcastle have had some impressive number nines at the club in recent seasons. Of course, Isak made a name for himself at St James’ Park, although he left in the summer. His namesake, Premier League cult-hero Alexander Mitrovic, also played for the club.

Yet, one name that constantly goes under the radar when it comes to former Magpies strikers is England international Ivan Toney. The 29-year-old only made four appearances in that famous Black and White striped shirt, and never found the back of the net.

After several loans in the EFL, the Northampton-born striker made a name for himself at Brentford before securing a move to Saudi Arabia. He now plies his trade in the Saudi Pro League for Al-Ahli.

It has been a strong start to Toney’s second campaign for Al-Ahli. He’s only played ten games so far, but already has eight goals and one assist to his name, doubling Woltemade’s tally for the season. Three of those goals have come in the Saudi Pro League, in four games.

Those stats do not tell the full picture, though. The England star has put up some impressive numbers during his time in Saudi Arabia so far.

For example, he’s averaged 0.8 goals per game across each season in the top flight.

If only Newcastle had kept hold of Toney, they could have had a “clinical” striker at the club, as Statman Dave called him. The fact that he’s already doubled Woltemade’s tally this season shows how deadly he is in front of goal.

Certainly, selling him to Peterborough United all those years ago for just £350k seems like a huge error now. Toney is flying now in the Saudi Pro League, and Newcastle fans can only look back on this and wonder what could have been.