Heading into right this moment’s Premier League showdown with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Newcastle United discovered themselves winless from their opening three league fixtures.
Fortunately, that early-season curse has now been lifted as Eddie Howe’s Magpies nearly received the higher of the travelling Previous Gold courtesy of a debut strike from £69m purchase Nick Woltemade, who was thrust straight into motion by the Toon boss.
Woltemade’s game-winning strike fell on the good time for the Tyneside hosts after Wolves had threatened with some early first-half efforts. Fortunately, whereas Vitor Pereira’s away aspect had been wasteful, the house aspect had been extra scientific, with the ex-Stuttgart man heading dwelling a teasing Jacob Murphy cross to interrupt the impasse.
Woltemade wasn’t the one impressed inclusion in Howe’s XI, nonetheless, because the 47-year-old reintroduced Joelinton again into the primary staff fold, who labored excellently alongside the duo of Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali throughout the 1-0 victory.
Guimaraes and Tonali’s relationship
Each Guimaraes and Tonali are strong first-team faces at this level, with each gamers in query beginning each potential league recreation they will to this point this season.
The Magpies’ quantity 39 wasn’t fairly at his correct greatest centrally with the ball at his toes, as seen in him relinquishing possession a close to pricey 19 instances, however the forceful Newcastle captain did nonetheless make his presence recognized with six floor duels gained throughout the tight win.
Whereas Guimaraes wasn’t fairly at his assured greatest roaming ahead, his Italian counterpart was definitely energetic on this capability, with the energetic quantity eight even hitting the woodwork with one in every of his three efforts in a bid to make the victory extra complete.
With Joelinton additionally thrown again within the combine after damage, it should be fairly straightforward for Howe to choose his midfield personnel when everyone seems to be match and firing, realizing he’ll get constant greatness out of these at his disposal.
Different partnerships throughout the pitch will equally make Howe beam from ear to ear, with one duo, particularly, standing out as soon as extra towards Wolves to now stake a declare at being much more necessary than the aforementioned duo of Guimaraes and Tonali.
Trippier & Murphy are wanting like Howe’s “greatest” pairing
Woltemade will hope, in time, that he can type a partnership that’s held in excessive regard at St James’ Park, with Alexander Isak as soon as bouncing off the likes of Anthony Gordon for enjoyable, earlier than he exited the constructing for Liverpool.
Newcastle’s right-hand aspect clearly boasts a wholesome working relationship based mostly on the 1-0 win, as each Kieran Trippier and Murphy labored collectively in concord all through to information Howe’s males to a much-needed three factors.
|
Trippier + Murphy Stats |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat |
Trippier |
Murphy |
|
Minutes performed |
90 |
89 |
|
Targets scored |
0 |
0 |
|
Assists |
0 |
1 |
|
Touches |
96 |
51 |
|
Pictures |
0 |
4 |
|
Correct passes |
53/68 (78%) |
17/26 (65%) |
|
Key passes |
5 |
1 |
|
Profitable dribbles |
0/0 |
2/3 |
|
Complete duels gained |
4/6 |
3/5 |
|
Stats by Sofascore |
||
Between them down the right-hand aspect, each Trippier and Murphy would amass a whopping six key passes from their mixed 147 touches of the ball, with the proper winger in the end selecting up the help that noticed Woltemade break his Magpies duck handy Howe’s males a win.
However, away from their fixed creativity, each the hard-working quantity two and the quantity 23 additionally gained their fair proportion of duels to maintain Wolves at bay, with a mixed duels gained rely of seven come the full-time whistle.
This split-second capability to create, but additionally combat for his or her staff’s trigger, definitely places them on the identical pedestal as Guimaraes and Tonali, with journalist Craig Hope stating throughout the match that they make a “huge distinction” when collectively on the pitch, because the pair have the “greatest” understanding as a partnership.
That is excessive reward, certainly, with Murphy hopeful he can stay part of Howe’s first staff plans, even with Anthony Elanga respiration down his neck as a brand new £55m recruit.
Trippier, regardless of being 34 years of age, can even hope he has a lot extra first-team minutes heading his route, as Newcastle tries to construct on these three factors towards Pereira’s guests, with a Champions League humdinger towards Barcelona subsequent on the menu.
