Eddie Howe’s five star players are starting to live up to the lofty aims of the new Saudi owners.
A year ago this week they started their rebuild with deal-maker Amanda Staveley claiming they wanted to win a title in the next decade. That aim was repeated by Saudi chief Yasir Al-Rumayyan on Thursday as he marked the anniversary of the £305m buyout by the PIF promising trophies and competition at “European level”.
Here there was a masterclass from £35m Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, who scored twice, as he continues to show why he thinks Europe is a viable possibility this season. “Bruno is top quality in every aspect, his personality and performances on the pitch. He was outstanding,” hailed Howe. “He is absolutely a bargain.
Jacob Murphy, Miggy Almiron and an Ethan Pinnock own goal, completed a rout that has the Toon Army dreaming again with their side in the top six and having scored nine in the last two games. The last time they scored five in one match was against Spurs six years and five months ago.
“It was a great day for us,” added Howe. “Our goals came from our intensity and pressing, we forced them into errors and we got rewarded for that.
“I think we have got a lot to prove. But the intention is there, the will is there to score goals and get the results everyone wants to see. Every game we want to build the mentality we want to be winners.”
This was the biggest win of the new regime, and a meek performance that will worry Brentford. Gallowgate End celebrated the anniversary with a huge flag - with Amanda Staveley front and centre and a list of the eight players the club have spent £210m on.
Brentford had an early Bryan Mbuemo strike ruled out by VAR because Ivan Toney was offside. The VAR team got that one right and it was downhill from there for the visitors.
Guimaraes scored the first from a new set piece routine. A corner was taken short to Kieran Trippier on the edge of the box for him to deliver a very deep trademark cross. Guimaraes had peeled off and drifted into the box unmarker, and did well to power a header into the turd, bouncing past Raya.
The home side were flying and two up after 28 minutes, after Callum Wilson seized on a miss-placed pass from Raya. The keeper was given a backpass to deal with, but his sweeping skills let him down, with Wilson intercepting and unselfishly squaring to Jacob Murphy, who slotted in from eight yards.
It was winger Murphy’s first goal for 14 months and only his fifth in the Premier League for the Toon in 102 games. After the break, Brentford came out fighting, Mbeumo forcing a great save from Pope, then the visitors won a penalty. Dan Burn jumped to defend a back post header from Aaron Hickey, but handled. Toney slammed home the spot kick.
Less than two minutes later Guimaraes got his second and Newcastle ’s third. Winning the ball with an aggressive tackle on Hickey 45 yards from goal, Guimaraes sped forward unchallenged.
He smacked a low drive into the bottom left corner. The former Lyon star wasn’t bought as a goal-scorer in January, but has seven in 17 starts and 6 sub appearances.
A fourth arrived after another defensive faff saw Ethan Pinnock under hit a backpass to Raya, which Miguel Almiron pinched, before rounding the keeper to score. Pinnock then netted an own goal in the 90th minute, touching in Joelinton’s cross.
Thomas Frank said: “We will cry for 24 hours then it is over. Not good. I never thought we would concede five goals. In life and football it is about how you respond to setbacks. Don't make one, two, three, or four mistakes leading to goals. To make four mistakes then you lose football games and basically that is it. This is a relentless league to play in and I still believe in the boys.”
