Newcastle United routed Ipswich Town by four clear goals on a wild afternoon weather wise which highlighted the gulf in class between the two sides; it truly was men against boys.
An Alexander Isak hat-trick, a first for a Newcastle player since 2019, and a crashing Jacob Murphy effort made light work of the Tractor Boys in the Bobby Robson derby, ensuring the great man would’ve at least been half happy the weekend before Christmas.
Here are our five key takeaways from the game:
- Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, a striker from Sweden
To borrow a line, I saw on Twitter/X after the game – ‘make Isak the King of Saudi Arabia to keep him at Newcastle.’ The Swede is some footballer and for my money is the best striker in the Premier League at the moment.
I don’t feel there is any danger of Isak leaving United either – it’s obvious the club would reject any January offer for him and with three years remaining on his current deal, we hold all the cards.
He was irrepressible on Saturday putting Ipswich to the sword with a beautiful half-volley after only 26 seconds, sitting down Muric for his second, and toe poking in from a tight area for the third. And he probably should’ve had a couple more too.
Backup that is deemed ready, and not hopelessly injury prone, should arrive for him in January to allow United to keep the Swede fit for the big games this season because you just feel United can win any game the lad plays in as he is a world class finisher. He is simply the best this club has seen since Alan Shearer.
- The Midfield Axis
When he was about to return from his ban, I wrote about Sandro Tonali and how it was his class, technical ability and heart that dragged Milan to the Scudetto in 2021/22, well we are really starting to see the Italians true class in Black and White but it is his beautifully blossoming partnership with Bruno that is starting to warm the cockles this winter football season.
They’re starting to look formidable together with 11 goals scored in the last three games the pair have started together (bringing three wins) and what should’ve been three clean sheets too.
It’s definitely 18 months too late (and I appreciate Tonali was banned for ten of those) but we’re finally seeing the best of the two playing together and it’s every bit as good as we hoped it would be.
- Jacob Murphinho
Three goals and two assists in his last three Premier League games is some return for the rotational RW with Saturday’s contribution taking him to eight goals and assists in all competitions. Yes, the lad is inconsistent, but most players of his ability are, but he rarely lets United down when he comes into the starting eleven.
But, if only one signing is to be made in January, I’d still want it to be a starting RW (and we’ve been heavily linked to Johan Bakayoko who would be an ideal signing imo) because it’s incumbent on Paul Mitchell to raise the floor of United’s squad as there is some real quality at the top end you’d be hard pressed to improve on.
Murphy though has certainly earned his place in the squad moving forward. Fair play to him too.
- Is it time to talk about Nick Pope?
I’ll hold my hand up and say I was bricking it when it was confirmed that Nick Pope would miss a month of action via injury but Martin Dubravka, whilst not having much to do over the last three games with his hands, has come in and added another dimension to United’s build up and passing out from the back by the virtue of being much better with the ball at his feet than the Englishman.
His composure and first touch have seen the lads build up from the back with a degree of control missing from Pope’s game and there have been no headless chicken, heart in mouth moments either which Pope suffered a couple of in his last outing against Brentford. Yet, I would still worry about Dubravka having to make full stretch saves, which Nick Pope does regularly.
Ultimately, the answer probably lies somewhere in the middle with the best keeper at the club probably being a hybrid of the two, which unfortunately we are lacking, as it isn’t one of the other three ‘keepers we currently have on our books either.
Maybe James Trafford is the answer?
- The Perfect Week
There was huge pressure on Eddie Howe and the squad following the poor showing at Brentford two weeks ago and, as they have done previously, the gaffer and the squad have responded to the pressure with a set of assured, confident, yet combative performances that have brought three consecutive wins.
There are always various shades of grey at Newcastle United and following the lads is a rollercoaster at the best of times but there was real negative momentum in the fanbase following the Brentford defeat, so it’s a great feeling to be going into the busy Christmas schedule (which is composed of some tough games) with the wind in our sails and the fanbase more united.
Factor in that Newcastle are a missed penalty [Everton (a)] and 30 seconds [Palace (a)] away from having an extra four points on the board and we could be sat here just a point outside the top four. But as Bobby Robson used to say: ‘If is the biggest word in football.’ So, for now let’s just enjoy the end of a great week following Newcastle United.
HWTL
Great win to beat Ipswich, no competition. Villa can beat a drunken magpie. Thursday Afternoon. Keep off the turps you magpies.
Ascot7(Quote)