Newcastle United secured a vital victory on Saturday beating Fulham 2-1 at St. James’ Park. In a huge showing for our newly assembled squad depth, United took control of the game in the final 20 minutes, scoring a late winner to come out on the right side of a tight game for the first time this season.
Jacob Murphy opened the scoring for Newcastle in the first half before Sasa Lukic equalised with 35 minutes to play. Bruno Guimaraes scored the last gasp winner.
Here are three things I liked from the game:
World class Bruno
In his three and a half years on Tyneside, we have come to love Bruno and recognise his world-class qualities, but so often the Brazilian is written off as a passion merchant or as not having the required pace to be world-class. That is all nonsense, and in fact, Newcastle have to find ways to get him more involved higher up the pitch; he’s that good and effective for us in those advanced areas.
Bruno now has three goals in eight games this season after scoring five in the entirety of last, and he should be pushing to get double figures this time around, as we will need our midfielders to chip in with Woltemade now playing deeper than Isak did.
The 27-year-old has played in 124 out of our last 127 games; often covers the most distance in those games, is always trying to be progressive with the ball (which is why his passing stats can be lower than others), and we have seen him step up in big moments, just like he did yesterday, on multiple occasions. He is entering the prime of his career too; we see just how much he loves the club, and long may it continue.
Last 20 mins and squad depth
In a huge boon, and for the first time this season, we saw our newly assembled squad depth in all its glory on Saturday. After Fulham equalised in the 56th minute, Howe made a triple substitution of real quality, bringing on Barnes, Tonali, and Schär for Murphy, Miley, and Botman, which saw United dominate the last 20 minutes and grab a huge late winner.
Fulham, despite noticeably tiring, continued to bomb forward (perhaps sniffing a winner of their own) but Newcastle were good value for the winner as the chances created; retaining of possession, and the further subs of Elanga and the joyful chaos brought to the pitch by Osula, saw United stamp their authority on the final quarter of the game.
With Ramsey and Willock unused subs too, it gives licence for Eddie to use the squad again on Wednesday against Spurs in the League Cup, and gives confidence that the players coming in are of the same quality as the players coming out. And with us due to play 60 plus games this season, that squad depth will be key.
Schär’s passing made a real difference
Sven Botman and Malick Thiaw’s partnership has been a huge positive over recent weeks, but I thought Fabian Schär’s passing range really affected the game when he came on in the 61st minute.
His raking cross-field passes out to Gordon on the left-wing are something we have missed as the other centre-backs just don’t make those sorts of passes (or maybe even see them?), and he played a couple of passes into central midfield to Tonali which bypassed Fulham’s tired press with ease.
I cautioned in one of these a few weeks back not to write off Fabian Schär and he seemed to want to prove that point himself on Saturday. He looked refreshed too, having sat out the last few games, and with rotation in mind, we may see him start on Wednesday.
Keep the faith. HWTL
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