Alan Shearer has heaped praise on Eddie Howe for the way he has turned round the performances of Ryan Fraser and Joelinton.
The two players were the stars of the show on Saturday as Newcastle United comfortably beat 10-man Brentford 2-0 at the Brentford Community Stadium.
After Josh Dasilva had been sent off for the hosts following a reckless foul on Matt Targett, the Magpies dominated the game and took the lead in the 33 rd minute courtesy of a Joelinton header from a Fraser cross.
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Joe Willock’s goal sealed the victory just before half-time, with Howe’s side now 14 th in the table and four points clear of the relegation zone.
On Saturday’s Match of the Day, pundit Shearer was delighted with the result saying: “It was another really impressive performance.
“When you consider they were without three of their best players in [Kieran] Trippier, [Callum] Wilson and [Allan] Saint-Maximin like they were last weekend [against West Ham United]. Yes, they were helped by the sending off, but you’ve still got to do your job.”
The legendary Newcastle striker went on to single out Fraser and Joelinton, adding that he was pleasantly surprised by the way they had improved their game.
He said: “They are two players who struggled for large periods in a Newcastle shirt but since Eddie Howe has been in you’ve seen two different players and no wonder Fraser was smiling and laughing after the game.
“He was fantastic today, most of the afternoon he went past his marker with ease, he got balls into the box, and he was a real threat all the time down that left hand side.
“ Joelinton has surprised me. The way he drives Newcastle forward as an attacking midfielder, the way he gets into the box the way and he breaks things up.
“His performances have been so impressive in that midfield in terms of winning the ball but then passing it and not stopping and driving into the box.”
It is fair to say that both players were very lacklustre for Newcastle prior to Howe’s arrival, with a combined goals and assists tally of just 14 across 100 Premier League appearances under previous boss Steve Bruce.
But now Fraser is putting in performances more akin to his time at AFC Bournemouth, where he worked under Howe, and record signing Joelinton is finally living up to his £39.6 million transfer fee.
This was reflected in the first goal against Brentford, which Shearer also highlighted, remarking: “It’s a magnificent goal. Fraser on that left hand side, he gives and goes, and he hangs the ball up and look at the way Joelinton at the far post attacks that ball. That is an unbelievable header, the way he times it, the way he guides it into the top corner.
“Eddie Howe has to take a lot of credit for the way he has turned those players round and turned those performances around.”
