Newcastle United boss Steve McClaren says that the Magpies have made a statement of intent to the rest of the Premier League. After signing Jonjo Shelvey, Seydou Boumbia, Andros Townsend and Henri Saivet, there can no longer be the excuse of the squad being too weak.
They have certainly shown they can spend when they want to now, but whether they can gel the new boys in before the possibility of survival slips away from them remains to be seen. McClaren goes into the Everton game at Goodison Park with strength in depth and aggression and power in his roster. With 15 games to go, it really is now or never for United and McClaren knows he will be truly judged in the next three months.
It's been a bumpy ride for McClaren at Newcastle so far and that is largely down to the squad he inherited. Newcastle stumbled on 12 months ago when they should have spent in the January window.
They then made only a few changes last summer, but the players they bought weren't used to the Premier League. Florian Thauvin and Aleksandar Mitrovic are clear examples of players who do have talent, but needed more support around them in their first six months at the club.
Instead, the emphasis has been placed on an inexperienced team to serve up Premier League wins on a consistent basis at St James' Park. Unsurprisingly that hasn't happened and while Mitrovic has toughed it out and managed to hang in there, Thauvin now finds himself back at Marseille.
This isn't a new situation for Newcastle. Only last season the likes of Emmanuel Riviere and Remy Cabella were enduring similar teething problems in the Premier League. But if there has been any progress in the last few months it has been the realisation that Newcastle need proven Premier League experience.
In Shelvey and Townsend, they seem to have found it. Both players will play key roles in the encounter between Everton and Newcastle on Merseyside. Too many times Newcastle have lost out in midfield battles this season. That, combined with poor defending and a failure to finish when it matters, sees them in the bottom three and with work to do.
Looking at the task of finding at least 15 points is a daunting one. But victory at Goodison Park would certainly lift spirits and lighten the mood around the city back in Newcastle. It's amazing what three points can do.
That was the case not too long ago when United beat West Ham at St James' Park and the talk of doom and gloom quickly disappeared as fans purred over the performance and arrival of Shelvey after his superb debut. But disappointment quickly replaced the mini-revival and better spirits after four points from two games against the Hammers and Manchester United.
Indeed, the last away game resulted in Newcastle going quickly back into their shells as they were beaten 2-1 at Watford. After that result, the call for new blood was made by some fans who'd travelled to Vicarage Road. In the days that have unfolded, they've certainly got that with Townsend and Doumbia coming in.
Now they get the chance to be instant heroes and start turning what has been a poor season around at Newcastle. Against an Everton side who have not won since Nov. 21 in the Premier League on home soil. There's certainly a chance to do that.
If the new boys can settle in quickly then there's every chance that Newcastle can seal the deal in the survival battle before that nervous run-in starts.