put the Wolves (19-10-6) on the board at 8:45 of the first

Newcastle are top of the Sky Bet Championship but just how good are Rafael Benitezs side? Whoscored.com dig into the stats ahead of Sundays clash with Leeds United live on Sky Sports... The return of the Championship is bookended by the two biggest matches of the weekend, with the Sky cameras pitching up at the Amex Stadium for Brightons clash with Aston Villa on Friday night before Newcastles clash with Leeds at Elland Road on Sunday.High-flying Brighton are unbeaten in 10 games and host a resurgent Villa side who are yet to lose under new boss Steve Bruce. Its not an easy game, but it represents a chance for Chris Hughtons charges to move level on points with the team to beat at the top of the table. In the summer the bookies priced up Newcastle as the strongest favourites ever to win the Championship, such was the support behind a club that invested heavily in the transfer market and, crucially, kept hold of a manager whose CV is unrivalled at this level.Rafael Benitezs decision to stay on at St. James Park despite last seasons relegation from the Premier League was arguably the biggest factor behind the Magpies early billing as the second tiers best ever side. Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez was the Sky Bet EFL Manager of the Month for October Optimism was dampened after they lost their opening two matches to Fulham and Huddersfield at the start of the campaign, but having acclimatised to their new surroundings and bedded in a large number of summer arrivals, they are once again being touted as overwhelming favourites, despite Brightons close proximity in the table.A look at WhoScored.coms statistical team ratings actually suggests the Seagulls have been the stronger side over the course of the season. Their score of 7.02 is the highest in the league ahead of Newcastles 6.98, though both figures rank highly in relation to previous promoted sides. Leeds vs Newcastle November 20, 2016, 1:00pm Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass In fact, the only two teams to have gone up in the last two seasons with a higher rating than either of this seasons top two are Leicester (7.00), in their title-winning 2013/14 campaign, and Bournemouth (7.04), when they won the league the following season. The subsequent success of both of those sides in the top-flight certainly suggests that both Newcastle and Brighton are well-equipped to make the step up.Moreover, if you were to exclude Newcastles ratings from their first two games of the season, the Magpies WhoScored.com rating would be 7.07. Its a figure that will surely rise further if they continue in their current vein of form, demonstrating that few teams in the Championships history can match the current leaders strength.One of the key factors behind the success of Benitezs side thus far has undoubtedly been their effective movements in the summer transfer window. While Dwight Gayle steals the spotlight in that regard, leading the scoring charts in Englands second tier with 11 goals for a rating of 7.34, the impact of a number of less heralded recruits has been just as decisive. Whoscored.coms top rated Newcastle players this season Of their first team regulars this season, four of Newcastles top six rated players are new arrivals.Top of the list is Ciaran Clark (7.42), who few would have expected to become such a key member of the side. Indeed, when Newcastle announced the capture of the defender from touted promotion rivals Aston Villa, it seemed a slightly odd move at the time. Benitez had already signed Grant Hanley to bolster his defensive ranks, had named Jamaal Lascelles as his captain and could also call upon Chancel Mbemba.In fact, Clarks addition was tipped in the local media to provide competition at left-back as much as centre-half, perhaps reading too much into the fact that the Ireland international had made a handful of appearances in that position at Villa. Ciaran Clark has impressed for Newcastle since his arrival from Aston Villa Make no mistake, though, Clark is central defender, and hes proving to be a very good one at this level. He has scored twice and is offering both the most interceptions (2.1) and clearances (8.1) per game for the club, while Newcastles record with the 27-year old at the back is exceptional.Ironically, the only game in 11 that Clark has not been on the winning side this season was a 1-1 draw back at Villa Park, with the Magpies losing three of five without him in the XI. Rafa not thinking of promotion Rafael Benitez insists hes not thinking about promotion yet. Meanwhile, alongside the impressive Jonjo Shelvey in the middle of the park, Isaac Hayden has also played an important role in ensuring Newcastles defence has been much improved. The Magpies were exposed to counter-attacks last season, but Hayden has provided the necessary protection. His average of 2.6 tackles per game is a team high, with 1.9 interceptions bettered only by Clark, helping him to a rating of 7.25.Along with Gayle, Matt Ritchie was the other real marquee signing and while the winger took a little time to adjust, he has also proven an astute acquisition. With two goals and five assists to his name in the league - the latter is a joint high in the Championship - he is beginning to have the sort of effect Benitez would have hoped in the final third. Matt Ritchie has made a strong start to life at St James Park Ritchie, after all, is a player that has excelled in a title-winning campaign, ranking among the top ten players in the second tier as Bournemouth were promoted, with a rating of 7.44 courtesy of superb figures of 15 goals and 17 assists.Its clear then, that while Newcastles enviable firepower in the form of Gayle, Mitrovic and Perez is seen as their greatest asset, Benitez has built a team that warrants its billing as outright favourites.Their credentials will be tested against an improving Leeds side on Sunday in a fixture steeped in top-flight tradition. While both will certainly be aiming to be back in the big time before long, its the Magpies who are flying right now. They are justifying the hype to make an immediate return appear a near certainty. Also See: Newcastle video Newcastle fixtures Newcastle stats Get a ￡10 free bet! Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping . 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The combination thats returned the franchise to respectability will remain intact for years to come.DETROIT -- The Windsor Spitfires defeated the Saginaw Spirit 6-5 on Sunday in the Ontario Hockey Leagues first regular season outdoor game in league history. The two clubs played at Comerica Park as part of the Hockeytown Winter Festival in Detroit and were the first game of a doubleheader, which also had the London Knights face the Plymouth Whalers as a lead up to the NHL Winter Classic on Jan. 1 between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings. Windsor scored four straight goals in the second period to erase an early two-goal lead held by Saginaw. Ben Johnson, Steven Janes, Brody Milne, Slater Koekkoek, Remy Giftopoulos and Christiano DiGiacinto scored for the Spitfires (23-12-1) and Brady Vail chipped in with three assists. Justin Sefton, Brandon Prophet, Daniel De Sousa, Eric Locke and Jeremiah Addison supplied the scoring for Saginaw (16-16-5) and Kristoff Kontos tacked on two assists. Alex Fotinos started in net for Windsor and gave up two goals on 13 shots in 20 minutes of action. Dalen Kuchmey came in to start the second period and turned away 21-of-23 shots to earn the victory. Nikita Serebryakov made 23 saves for the Spirit. Windsor went 3 for 6 on the power play while Saginaw went 3 for 10. --- WHALERS 2 KNIGHTS 1 (SO) DETROIT, Mich. -- Alex Nedeljkovic made 44 saves, and Francesco Vilardi scored Plymouths second goal of the shootout to give the Whalers their win over London. Plymouths Mathieu Henderson opened the scoring in the outdoor game at Detroits Comerica Park at 1:38 of the third period. Chris Tierney tied it for the Knights (25-7-4) with a power play goal, his 20th of the season, at 17:46. Jake Patterson made 25 saves for London. The Knights were 1 for 4 with the man advantage, while the Whalers (13-20-4) were 0 for 3. Attendance for the OHL outdoor doubleheader was 26,384. --- STORM 5 OTTERS 2 GUELPH, Ont. -- Adam Craievich scored once and set up two more as Guelph downed Erie for its fourth win in a row. Chadd Bauman, Justin Auger, Jason Dickinson and Robby Fabbri also scored for the Storm (26-7-3), who are now just four points behind the Otters for top spot in the Midwest Division. Connor Brown scored both goals for Erie (29-7-1), which is winless in three games for the first time this season. Justin Nichols made 28 saves for Guelph while Devin Williams stopped 31-of-35 shots in a losing cause. --- BULLS 9 FRONTENACS 6 KINGSTON, Ont. -- Remi Elie and Cameron Brace combined for six goals and 13 points as Belleville toppled the Frontenacs. Elie scored three times and added four assists for the Bulls (10-22--4) and Brace had three goals and three assists.dddddddddddd Jordan Subban scored once and set up three goals for Belleville while Niki Petti and Stephen Harper had a goal apiece. Samuel Schutt had a pair of goals for Kingston (19-12-4) and Darcy Greenaway, Conor McGlynn, Sam Bennett and Spencer Watson each scored once. Charlie Graham made 31 saves for the Bulls. Matt Mahalak started in net for the Frontenacs but was pulled after allowing four goals on 14 shots in 25 minutes of action. Lucas Peressini took the loss, stopping 15-of-19 shots in relief. --- COLTS 5 STEELEADS 3 MISSISSAUGA, Ont. -- Erik Bradford had a goal and two assists as Barrie defeated the Steelheads. Andreas Athanasiou, Mitchell Theoret, Liam Maaskant and Jake Dotchin also scored for the Colts (19-14-3) and Andrew Mangiapane had two assists. Mississauga (15-19-4) got goals from Josh Burnside, Bryson Ciafrone and Dylan Smoskowitz. Barries Daniel Gibl made 25 saves for the win as Spencer Martin turned away 29-of-33 shots for the Steelheads. --- GREYHOUNDS 3 WOLVES 1 SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. -- Sergey Tolchinskys power-play goal at 19:58 of the first period stood up as the winner as the Greyhounds snapped Sudburys nine-game win streak. Jean Dupuy opened the scoring for Sault Ste. Marie (25-8-4) early in the first and Patrick Watling added a shorthanded goal midway through the third period. Matthew Campagna put the Wolves (19-10-6) on the board at 8:45 of the first. Matt Murray made 20 saves for the Greyhounds while Sudburys Franky Palazzese turned away 20-of-23 shots in a losing cause. --- ATTACK 3 STING 2 (SO) SARNIA, Ont. -- Sting netminder Taylor Dupuis stopped 42 shots through 65 minutes, but Gemel Smith and Holden Cook beat him in the shootout as Owen Sound edged the Sting. Justin Brack and Kurtis Gabriel scored in regulation for Owen Sound (19-12-6) and Kurtis MacDermid assisted on both. Nikolay Goldobin did all the scoring for Sarnia (12-20-4), which has dropped back-to-back contests. Brandon Hope made 16 saves for the Attack. --- GENERALS 6 67S 3 OSHAWA, Ont. -- Michael Dal Colle scored twice and set up one more and Cole Cassels had three assists as the Generals doubled up Ottawa to end their four-game winless streak. Colin Suellentrop had a goal and two assists for Oshawa (25-10-3) while Stephen Desrocher, Hunter Smith and Will Petschenig each scored once. The 67s (12-20-3) got goals from Ryan Van Stralen, Jospeh Blandisi and John Urbanic. Daniel Altshuller made 26 saves for the Generals as Philippe Trudeau stopped 32-of-38 shots for Ottawa. ' ' '