Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson is under no illusions going to Newcastle United on Saturday.
Hodgson admits Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has impressed on Tyneside.
He said, "I don't think Eddie's success is due to the fact that he has gone and bought a new team by splashing out on enormous players.
"Good players do cost money and they've bought some very good players. What he and Dan Ashworth have done together is that they have built a very good football team. They have brought players into the club that suit the philosophy."
On it being Newcastle's best start to a season, he added: "I think I expected them to carry it over. They finished last season quite brilliantly. When things did get a little stickier for them at the end, when they had to dig in and get results, they did that as well. I would have been surprised if their start to the season wasn't good."