It was a night of new beginnings at St James’ Park, but questions in need of answers too. Newcastle United ended their 70-year wait for a major trophy, and were now looking to enter the next phase of their development.
Brentford arrived at Newcastle on Wednesday night and it was back to business; with 10 Premier League games to go, a renewed push for Champions League qualication was in sharp focus.
This game was always likely to go one of two ways, and it was up to Newcastle to dictate the direction. Would they build on their Wembley success, or would a city-wide hangover after a fortnight full of partying stunt their progress?
Newcastle prove point with Brentford win
Ultimately, though far from a classic, Newcastle’s star men stood up to be counted. Alexander Isak became the first player to net 20 Premier League goals in successive seasons and Sandro Tonali scored a stunning goal from an incredible angle either side of Bryan Mbeumo’s penalty.
With five consecutive away league wins, conceding only once in the process, coming into the game, Brentford were primed to make life difficult for the home side. As the first half progressed, the pattern became concerning; Isak squandered a header from close range in the opening minutes and then, gradually, the visitors asserted themselves.
They didn’t create too many clear-cut opportunities, but their proactivity in transition threatened to become a problem. The home crowd, packed into every seat and typically raucous before kick off, grew more agitated with every missed pass and lost duel.
Winning as an away side at St James’ Park is an increasingly difficult task, but every success starts with the same basic pattern. Newcastle needed to force the issue, but with Isak in attack, it was a matter of time.
With half-time looming, he found space to unleash himself in on goal; unable to fully shake the Brentford defence off, he fed Harvey Barnes, free to tap into the empty net. Barely half a cheer erupted before the linesman’s flag quashed any celebration, swiftly vindicated by a VAR check.
But that was the moment Newcastle, and Isak, had been waiting for; the shackles were off. Not even a minute later, Bruno Guimaraes fired a wonderful searching ball out wide to Jacob Murphy, whose cross was just as perfect for Isak to tap home. After his Wembley heroics two-an-a-half weeks ago, the Swede achieved a second feat nobody has matched in the modern era.
Tyneside is bracing itself for waves of unwanted transfer speculation around their striker this summer. It is hardly a hot take to suggest he could play for any club he wants, and he may well get that choice in the future, but the notion he needs to leave in order to surround himself with better players doesn’t paint the full picture from a Newcastle perspective.
Murphy is not seen as one of their most important players – the club intend to sign a new right-winger in the summer – but nobody has been a more consistent source of Isak’s goals than the 29-year-old, who has now assisted nine. One of the hallmarks of Eddie Howe‘s reign has been his ability to get the most out of players who looked to have no future at the club; Joelinton and Miguel Almiron are well documented, but there is an argument to say Murphy’s development is his most impressive work.
He was unwanted, unable to get a game on loan in the Championship under a previous regime and a spare part inherited by Howe. Now, he is a vital cog in this Champions League-hunting machine, who has played his part in every step of the journey.
When Mbeumo levelled and Isak came off – groin discomfort with hope of nothing serious – it felt ominous again. But then Tonali fired in a rocket from the right wing; perhaps it was a cross, but the technique was superb. The Italian has become the heartbeat of the team due to his work in midfield, but he stepped up to save Newcastle with a goal in a moment of potential peril.
Howe wouldn’t be drawn on whether he meant it or not, but admitted seeing Tonali’s potential for the spectacular in training.
“I’ve seen him practicing them over recent weeks,” he said. “One thing about Sandro, he can hit a ball like no one. When he strikes it, I fear for our goalkeepers. It was a big moment in our game and our season.”
Nothing mattered more than securing the win for Newcastle. This was After the Lord Mayor’s Show, and although the cup win has already confirmed the legendary status of this squad, there is more to achieve.
Reaching the Champions League could be crucial for the next stage of the project. In Tonali and Isak, Newcastle have players who are the envy of all their rivals and they could provr decisive.
