Newcastle United eventually overcame a belligerent Crystal Palace to win 2-0 on Sunday. The three points moved United up into ninth place, to just two points off fifth and kicked off a busy month of season defining fixtures in a mostly positive fashion.
United’s strikes came via Bruno Guimaraes and Malick Thiaw, whilst at the other end saw the lads keep a first clean sheet in thirteen games.
Here are 3 things I liked (and 1 thing I didn’t) from the game:
Liked: A clean sheet at the 13th attempt
A 2-0 home win is exactly what the team needed to grab back-to-back wins and hopefully kickstart an improved, lengthy unbeaten run, but finally getting the illusive clean sheet at the 13th attempt could also be a huge moment moving forward into the second half of the season.
United didn’t keep a single clean sheet with Aaron Ramsdale in nets after Nick Pope’s injury with a few of the goals conceded during that time either soft or not well fielded by the number 32. That form continued with Pope back in nets against Burnley, where the side gave up far more chances than any of us would’ve liked, but against Palace the back five limited Palace to just 0.7 xG and just one shot on target.
It was a much-improved defensive display with Fabian Schar making his 250th appearance for the club and Malick Thiaw being defensively excellent (as well as grabbing a goal) and Lewis Miley was so good he has his own section below. Lewis Hall wasn’t at his best and was hooked after an hour but hopefully, with others returning to fitness, this is something the lads at the back can build on.
Disliked: Sloppiness in possession
Despite the positives from the performance there was still a general sloppiness to our play. Jacob Murphy gave away possession 20+ times, Lewis Hall gave possession away 16 times, and Willock’s late miss was an all timer, such was the level of sitter it was.
A couple of Wissa’s runs were poorly timed, and he just kept being in offside positions even if the ball never reached him, he tired before the end and maybe could’ve come off a little earlier, but his overall performance is improving. Hopefully, the two strikers battling out for the one position can spur each of them on to improved performances.
Gordon made many poor decisions throughout the game, went down too easily at times, and he is just off it at the moment, highlighted by Harvey Barnes being particularly good when he came on. It was Barnes’ key pass that led to Miley’s assist for Bruno’s goal.
We appear to be very much still a work in progress but to have been as poor as we have at times this year, and with the general sloppiness in our play, getting a vital win and only being two points off 5th means we are finding ways to absorb that sloppiness, but hopefully we can cut it out going into the second half of the season.
Liked: Lewis Miley’s imperious performance
59/59 completed passes from the lad, playing out of position, is the most by any Newcastle player in the Premier League. He grabbed an assist, and for a makeshift FB, Miley has been imperious over the last few weeks.
I want him back in midfield ASAP, as he looks like he is ready to start bringing more to that position. He glides past players, easily jinks out of trouble, and his composure on the ball is off the charts.
Our opposition must think the lad is a weak link playing out of position, but he is proving them all wrong with the excellent consistent level of his recent performances; and all of this before he turns 20 too.
Liked: Bruno stepping up again
With a very tight offside call (and another not so tight call) denying United a lead in the first half and with time ticking towards the final 15 minutes, things could’ve turned if the lads hadn’t managed to grab a goal against a tiring Palace side; then up stepped Bruno Guimaraes to drag his team into a winning position once again.
His seventh goal of the season (from an excellent header back across goal by Miley) came at a crucial time and spurred the team onto grab a second just seven minutes later, despite a five-minute Palace spell between the two goals.
Bruno may just be the best midfielder we’ve had in the Premier League era, but what makes him special is the passion, the drive and the fight that goes with his obvious quality. United often seem to need Bruno to put the team on his back and carry them through games; and he did it again on Sunday. It was that level of quality that Palace just couldn’t call upon and it ultimately turned the game from a frustrating one to decent one.
So, it’s now just two defeats in the last ten games for Newcastle and we go again on Wednesday night against Leeds with a chance to put three wins in a row together in the league for the first time this season.
Keep the faith. HWTL
