The Magpies did not even win that day last August, but the 1-1 draw proved to Hughton that the club were capable of arresting their dramatic slide. At the end of a turbulent summer dominated by uncertainty over the Magpies' ownership, which itself followed the trauma of relegation, it was an important moment. Newcastle won the next six games, setting them up for an immediate return to the Premier League along with Sunday's opponents, and earning Hughton the permanent manager's role. "We felt that was quite a pivotal moment in the season after the difficulties at that stage," he said. "We got a 1-1 draw that day and we felt that was a result that took us on for the early part of that season and allowed us to grow and develop." Both teams have carried their form from the Championship into the top flight, with Newcastle going into the weekend in ninth place, level on 19 points with West Brom in 12th. While the Magpies have been somewhat up and down - beating great rivals Sunderland 5-1 and losing to Bolton by the same score three weeks later - the Baggies have been more streaky. After losing only two of their first nine games, Roberto Di Matteo's side then took one point from their next five matches before stopping the rot emphatically with a 4-1 win at Everton last weekend. It was the latest in a number of unpredictable results this season, and Hughton said: "With the way this Premier League season is going, it seems any result is not as much of a surprise as perhaps it would have been. "Winning at Everton, certainly by that scoreline, is a tremendous result. Everton are a top-class footballing outfit that are used to being at the other end of the table but it just goes to show where we are this season, that anything's possible." "It's a very difficult game. We've had great experience of playing against West Brom over the last season and had some real tough games. "They've had a very good start, they're a wonderful footballing side, they play a system that suits the players they've got. We know they can score goals and they have had some very, very good results this season." Hughton can recall midfielder Joey Barton after the conclusion of his three-match ban while the club received more good news this week when goalkeeper Steve Harper returned to training. The 35-year-old sustained a bad shoulder injury in the 1-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park in September but is now closing in on a first-team return. Dutch youngster Tim Krul has stepped into Harper's shoes and impressed, and Hughton knows he will soon have a tough decision to make. "We have to be mindful he has been out for a long period of time and the injury that he's had," Hughton said of Harper. "He's got back into training this week, he's worked very, very hard and what we want to do is get to the stage where we have him available. "He hasn't played in any games yet. We have some reserve games coming up, and there are decisions to be made about whether he plays in those, but the most important thing is he's pain-free, there are no ill-effects from the injury and that's good news for us. "Tim has done very well. He's a young goalkeeper that's developing and learning with every game. He has made progress and I'm quite sure he'll want to continue to do that."
