Newcastle United picked up an enormous three factors away within the capital on Monday evening as they beat West Ham United 1-0. It was a tricky watch at occasions however United acquired the job performed to shift the temper music on Tyneside initially of an enormous week.
Bruno Guimaraes scored the one aim of the sport within the second half from a Harvey Barnes clip into the field from the left facet.
Listed here are our 5 key takeaways from the sport:
Good between the bins, terrible in them (in the primary)
Epitomised extra within the first half, however United have been respectable between each bins with clear touches and good passing however have been typically poor in each bins with shoddy ending and shaky defending.
The second half included comparable ranges of management however yielded one likelihood which Bruno caught away, as West Ham picked up the toothless mantel.
A win is a win, however we should play so significantly better to win the sport subsequent weekend. And I’m sorry to say it, however I worry for that again 4 towards Liverpool at Wembley. Fortunately, United acquired it proper on Monday evening, and now have a transparent week to organize while Liverpool play PSG on Tuesday.
Rusty Barnes, however he did okay
The highlight was at all times going to be on the £38m man as Gordon’s stupidity final weekend has laid out the pink carpet for Barnes to begin the cup last subsequent weekend.
He performed nicely on the evening, picked up an help, had a few respectable pictures at aim within the first half, forcing a save from Areola from one, however, general, all the things was both barely too sluggish, or barely wayward. He ran arduous at occasions and regarded lazy at others.
No less than he regarded dangerous-ish however we will definitely want him to step as much as increased high quality stage over the subsequent couple of video games in Gordon’s absence.
Disjointed left facet
Quite a lot of United’s play on the evening broke down on the left facet as they tried to mattress in a brand new partnership with Tino and Barnes changing the injured Corridor and suspended Gordon.
Tino continually having to chop again onto his proper foot when in attacking positions killed lots of momentum in attacking phases down that facet, and Barnes was nonetheless discovering his ft on his return.
However, put it this fashion, if Tino was referred to as Miguel Almiron and Tino was slicing again as a lot as Miggy used to, he’d be getting completely slaughtered by components of the fanbase. He’s a right-back filling in down the left, nevertheless it was a obtrusive problem in Corridor’s absence every time we attacked down that facet.
Captain’s Efficiency
Tonali was glorious within the midfield, profitable 9 out of 9 duels, however captain Bruno stepped up on the evening in a decent recreation to attain the one aim. It was scrappy, it was low high quality, however it is important as we had to answer a set of unfavourable outcomes over the weekend.
Bruno’s passing into the ultimate third was glorious within the evening, with 22 profitable passes, and he received a number of necessary fouls and slowed the sport down and sped it up when required.
Moreover, the final match the place we have been hanging on with seconds to go within the capital was towards Palace once we threw away two factors late on, so it was very pleasing to see the lads maintain on to all three and ship us again up into sixth and solely two factors off Chelsea in 4th, and Bruno was integral to that.
The Brazilian has been quiet as of late and looking out slightly jaded, so it was simply good to see him play nicely and impact a recreation.
Wembley subsequent!
Do you know Newcastle are in a cup last subsequent weekend? Properly, the Sky commentators actually wished you to know as he talked about it on a thousand and one events.
However that isn’t the purpose actually is it. Everyone knows what’s at stake subsequent weekend. Hopefully the lads can put together nicely this week and keep as damage free as they’ll as a result of the squad is creaking on the seams as it’s.
For me, Eddie Howe deserves tangible proof of all he’s achieved thus far at United. I hope that he can ship it subsequent Sunday.
Maintain the religion. HWTL