Newcastle United have made an honest begin to the 2024/25 marketing campaign, however failing to win towards Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday would imply that Eddie Howe’s aspect head into the October worldwide break on a three-match winless run.
Centre-forwards Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson are each sidelined, so Anthony Gordon will deputise at quantity 9 as soon as once more, however a number of different potential absentees – Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schar and Nick Pope – have been given the inexperienced mild.
Victory over AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday night got here with its points: Newcastle had been laborious of their win, dominating on the ball and lashing loads of wayward pictures someplace close to the objective, nevertheless it lacked cohesion and fluency, and a few adjustments will probably be wanted – Sean Longstaff, who began in the course of the park, amongst them.
Sean Longstaff’s efficiency vs Wimbledon
Newcastle stumbled by the third spherical of the Carabao Cup, although did declare victory by Schar’s dispatched penalty earlier than the interval.
Bruno Guimaraes, midfield common, was understandably rested, however the subtraction of his vim and vigour in Howe’s engine room was plainly discernible. Longstaff, aged 26, did little to stake his declare for a job of better significance after sitting on the bench towards Fulham within the Premier League earlier than incomes solely a brief cameo throughout final week’s draw towards Manchester Metropolis.
Because the desk will present you under, he was missing in combativeness, authority and initiative. Busy. Certain. However not on the stage that Howe would have hoped for towards League Two opponents, who received 52% of the duels within the contest.
|
Sean Longstaff’s Efficiency vs Wimbledon |
|
|---|---|
|
Match Stats |
# |
|
Minutes performed |
90′ |
|
Touches |
84 |
|
Pictures (on the right track) |
2 (1) |
|
Correct passes |
61/69 (88%) |
|
Possession misplaced |
12x |
|
Key passes |
0 |
|
Dribbles (accomplished) |
0 (0) |
|
Tackles + interceptions |
0 |
|
Floor duels (received) |
6 (1) |
|
Fouls |
3 |
|
Yellow card |
1 |
|
Stats through Sofascore |
|
The Shields Gazette handed Longstaff a 6/10 match score after the Carabao Cup win, acknowledging some tidy link-up play however writing that he was ‘out and in of the sport’. Actually? That is a beneficiant score for a central midfielder who failed to say his authority – dropping 84% of his floor duels – towards opponents who ply their commerce three divisions under.
Everton will convey a bodily and tenacious method to this night’s Premier League conflict, and Howe want solely forged his thoughts again to final season’s 3-0 defeat on this fixture to remind himself that, sure, it is a harmful opponent, a redoubtable floor, regardless of the league standings.
Longstaff should not be within the beginning line-up.
Who ought to change Sean Longstaff
Bruno Guimaraes. That is that.
Simply kidding, nevertheless it’s true, Guimaraes is certain to return to the beginning line-up on Merseyside, with the Brazilian so gifted and influential because the Toon’s nucleus, remarkably profitable 8.7 duels per recreation within the Premier League this season, as per Sofascore. It is no marvel Man Metropolis boss Pep Guardiola has lauded him as an “distinctive holding midfielder”.
That is at successful price of 60% too. Longstaff may need been defensively porous in midweek, however he is often a bit crisper, profitable 52% of his top-flight floor duels this time period. That is simply 2.4 per recreation although, which hardly speaks of robustness and high-level athleticism.
Newcastle would inject a wholesome load of positivity in the event that they had been to win towards Everton earlier than signing off for one more worldwide sojourn, and Longstaff have to be benched to make sure the duty is accomplished, with Guimaraes returning to the midfield and hopefully flanked by Sandro Tonali and one in all Joelinton or Joe Willock.
