Newcastle progressed to the FA Cup quarter-final on Tuesday and though they looked comfortable for large parts of their match against West Brom, some fans have still been debating the effectiveness of the midfield.

Steve Bruce decided to switch things up by playing an extra midfielder instead of five defenders, though the usual two-man pivot was still in place with Nabil Bentaleb and Sean Longstaff fulfilling those roles.

Many supporters were discussing who performed better out of the pair in response to a statement that neither performed to a high enough standard, though according to WhoScored there was a clear difference between the two.

Bentaleb achieved a rating of 7.7 compared to Longstaff’s 6.6, yet fans think the latter was the better of the two against the Baggies, and praised his all-round ability after the showing.

That may be a surprise angle to take considering the 22-year-old has underperformed this season, or at least hasn’t impressed in the same manner he did when he broke in to the first-team last season.

The recent criticism of his performances from fans is evidence of that, and indeed he still has a lot to do if he is to convince the fanbase that he is good enough to start regularly for the Magpies.

He is yet to win Bruce’s trust, too, with just 13 league starts to his name this campaign, and that is backed up by one supporter who suggests the midfielder is not good enough for top-flight football.

Is life under Ashley really that bad? Maybe this quiz will change your minds, Newcastle fans…

Meanwhile, Newcastle fans have been highlighting one man for praise after he showcased his true potential against the Baggies…