Had someone told you that when Bruno Guimaraes signed for Newcastle United back in January that he’d have to wait until April to make his first home start, they would have been laughed out of the room. But due to the good form of those in the same position and a run of four games away from home, Guimaraes had to wait 10 weeks for that starting position.
I remember the audible groans of disbelief and disappointment in the pub when the teamsheet against Everton was announced. Fans had fully expected to see Guimaraes start at the first opportunity - as it was he was given a runout of just four minutes.
Newcastle won that game - and those keeping Guimaraes out of the side each had their moments, which in many ways justified the Brazilian starting from the bench. And that form of Joelinton, Jonjo Shelvey and Joe Willock continued as Newcastle went on an unbeaten run that ended at 9.
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Guimaraes of course played his part in that run which has nearly secured the club’s top-flight status. Yet that being said, the midfielder still had to wait until March 10th for his first Premier League start - scoring a wonderful backheel against Southampton.
It may come as a surprise to many that in the 10 games Guimaraes has been involved in since joining Newcastle, he’s only started four. It’s a testament to those players around him for stepping up and keeping him out of the side, Howe for sticking to his ethos, and Guimaraes for setting the bar of quality his teammates have to match.
With Leicester City, the visitors on Sunday, the debate of who out of the four options start across the middle, one that has raged ever since Guimaraes signed, is raging no more as John Gibson, appearing on the latest episode of The Everything is Black and White Podcast explains. “The only thing we have got to decide is who starts with Bruno.
"He quite frankly, is a different class. You've got the good, the more than decent and the brilliant - he is in the brilliant. The first name on the team sheet - bar the striker who can get you 30 goals a season - has to be Bruno. He's magnificent.
"He's got the right attitude. Does a bit of everything - gets his body between man and ball and wins it. He's snappy in the tackle and loves the responsibility of being on the ball. He gets his head up and just sees people.
"At the start when he joined us, it was 'he can't get into the team because our three midfielders are playing so brilliantly, so how do we drop one? He has to wait for his opportunity,' - and that Wolves game was his first home start.
"When you consider he came in January, that shows how patient he's had to be. Now it's who plays with Bruno, not can Bruno get into the three. No, it's who are the other two because Bruno has got to be in the XI."
The hope is that Guimaraes is the marker for the transfer windows to come. He is the quality that Newcastle fans and Howe can now expect.
It may have taken Guimaraes a little while longer to win his place in the first team but that is no doubting now, that he is there to stay and given his journey has only just begun - there's more plenty more to come.
You can listen to the full episode of The Everything is Black and White Podcast - The Match Preview - by clicking here . Please remember to like and follow the podcast.
