It has been an excellent couple of weeks for Eddie Howe, as we have now won five home matches in a row.
There were some concerns about the three defeats in a row away from St James’ Park, but any lingering fears of relegation have now been put to bed.
The side were compact and difficult to break down on Sunday. Although Leicester City dominated the ball, they struggled to create clear-cut chances, as our defence performed very well.
Below we look at three interesting stats from the game:
Emil Krafth – Eight tackles and five interceptions
The piece will be focused on three of the important performers on Sunday, with the first being Emil Krafth. The Swede was written off as a Premier League player prior to the arrival of Eddie Howe. However, the new manager has managed to get a lot out of Krafth, who is now performing as a reliable Premier League defender.
Javier Manquillo was the player that many expected to fill in for Kieran Trippier. The Spaniard was seen to have more about his game in both halves of the pitch, but he has now fallen behind Krafth and could be heading for a summer exit.
During the game, Krafth was excellent at the back, as he managed to restrict the space down his flank. He was aggressive out of possession, as he made eight tackles and five interceptions, both a team-high.
One excellent tackle to prevent Ademola Lookman getting a clear strike on goal in the second half was a key moment in the game. Krafth could be playing his way into the squad for next season.
Bruno Guimaraes – 0.9 Expected goals
Bruno Guimaraes will often feature in these columns, as he is an excellent footballer, who often tops a lot of metrics in our team.
This weekend, he showed a different side of his game and that was his goal threat. At Lyon, he didn’t get forward much due to his role in the team. However, Howe has seen something in Guimaraes and he is being used in a more box-to-box role. It suits him down to the ground, as he has the engine to cover the ground and he can be an asset in both halves of the pitch.
He had a total of 0.9 expected goals (xG) for the game, which was the majority of our team xG. His first goal showed his awareness in the box, as he pounced on the loose ball to score. The second showed his incredible athleticism to cover the ground needed to get into the box.
Guimaraes looks to be the complete midfielder and Sunday is not likely to be a fluke. He should have the ability to score goals from midfield.
Allan Saint-Maximin – Six shot-creating actions
It has been a frustrating few weeks for Allan Saint-Maximin. Everyone can see that he isn’t at his best, but he does continue to offer value to the team in attack.
The Frenchman was a threat on Sunday, despite the lack of confidence in his game. Even when playing poorly, he is a player that the opposition team fear and commit defensive numbers to.
He had six shot creating actions during the game, which is more than any other Newcastle player. The Frenchman looked to be trying to play more passes in the final third than he normally does, which shows that he is becoming less selfish.
There will be improvement from Saint-Maximin in the coming weeks. When he gets a goal or assist, it could give him the confidence to end the season strongly.
