Newcastle United were impressive in their 3-3 draw with Liverpool in midweek, but must now build on that foundation away from St. James’ Park.
Eddie Howe’s side have the perfect chance to do just that, meeting Brentford in the capital this afternoon with both sat on 20 points, one win behind fifth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion.
Attacking weapons have been blunted for much of the current campaign but there was plenty to admire against the Reds on Wednesday.
Brentford will provide a different test to be sure, having won six and drawn one of their seven top-flight matches at the Gtech Community Stadium this season. Newcastle need to be on their a-game.
Newcastle team news
Sven Botman is still not ready to make his anticipated return to the Newcastle backline, but he should make an appearance before the new year. Fellow defenders Emil Krafth and Jamal Lascelles are also out of action.
Sandro Tonali, Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon all had little niggles after such a hard-fought performance against Liverpool but should be clear to start against the Bees.
While Thomas Frank’s side have been imperious on home turf, Newcastle cannot afford to be defeated, and must now produce a top-class display to leapfrog them into European contention.
It’s crucial that Newcastle win the midfield battle.
Newcastle's midfield balance
Against Liverpool, Newcastle’s centre-midfielders won 20 duels in combination, with the host side narrowly winning the total duel success (52% vs 48%).
Joelinton proved himself a menace, serving as a charging bull. This is something that works extremely well in counterpoint to Bruno Guimaraes’ elegant ball-playing game.
That’s not to say that he’s not combative himself, having won 7.9 duels per Premier League game this season, as per Sofascore, but there’s a distinct contrast that works neatly for Howe’s system.
The question centres on who to place on the right side of the central engine room. Sean Longstaff is industrious, while Tonali carries a slickness that helps Newcastle to establish control.
But it’s Joe Willock who must be handed a starting role against Brentford, with the dynamic midfielder carrying the properties needed to send Brentford in a spin.
Howe must unleash Joe Willock
Willock failed to produce his finest football for most of the 2023/24 campaign, having been limited to just nine Premier League appearances as he recovered from an Achilles injury, with a recurrence chucking him back in the infirmary after a fleeting period of recovery.
The 25-year-old is a determined sort, however, and has managed to hit some impressive form in spells this season, notably combining with Joelinton to great effect. Willock’s technical flair deserves praise, and he might even be Newcastle’s best ball-carrying asset when fit and firing.
As per FBref, the 5 foot 10 midfielder ranks among the top 2% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries, the top 13% for shot-creating actions and the top 17% for tackles per 90, emphasising that point but also pointing toward a roundedness that will allow him to balance out the midfield at Brentford.
It’s interesting to note that Willock’s statistical style – as per FBref – is matched with that of Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones, who scored a fine goal on Tyneside earlier this week.
Minutes played
90′
Goals
1
Touches
75
Shots (on target)
3 (2)
Accurate passes
55/57 (96%)
Key passes
1
Dribbles (completed)
2 (2)
Tackles
2
Ground duels (won)
10 (7)
Though Newcastle’s midfielders largely succeeded in their central battles, it’s clear that Jones managed to keep things balanced, with his crisp passing, progressive movements and solid combative approach making things difficult for Howe’s team.
He completed both of his attempted dribbles, and given that Willock is also adept in carrying the ball into the danger area, he must be handed a starting role today, allowed to push against the Londoners’ backline, bend it and seize openings.
With just two wins across ten recent Premier League matches, Newcastle cannot afford to cede further ground in the congested battle for a place at the front of the table. It’s early into the campaign still, but a standard needs to be set.
Given that Tonali didn’t enjoy his finest outing against Liverpool, surely it would be worth throwing Willock back in. The 25-year-old only made three touches during his cameo in midweek, but won his only contested duel and made a tackle too. He can do it all.
Howe praised Willock’s “infectious” energy in midfield last season, and indeed, it’s this kind of approach that will be needed to overwhelm Brentford and complete a statement victory to springboard the project back into the European realm.
Whether Newcastle become the first to beat Brentford in their own backyard this term remains to be seen, but Willock is a singular asset and must be unleashed. He might just be the difference-maker.
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