A round-up of your Newcastle United evening headlines on Monday, 28 December.
Alan Shearer names two Newcastle United players in Premier League Team of the Week
Alan Shearer has included Ryan Fraser and Joelinton in his Premier League Team of the Week. The duo were instrumental in Newcastle's win over Brentford, with the Magpies making it four wins from their last five games, stretching their unbeaten Premier League run to seven games.
Eddie Howe's side have maintained their four-point gap to the bottom three but moved up to 14th place and have games in hand on sides around them.
Joelinton opened the scoring for the Magpies just after the half-hour mark, with the Bees down to ten men, before Joe Willock added another for Howe's side on the brink of half-time. The Brazilian has been a revelation since Howe's arrival at St. James' Park and has found a new lease of life in a deeper midfield role.
Former Football Manager whizzkid Stan Flaherty swaps Newcastle United for Queens Park Rangers
Newcastle United youngster Stan Flaherty has departed the North-East to join Queens Park Rangers. The 20-year-old has not featured this season since pre-season when the forward played in a clutch of friendly games for the second string.
However, he only made the bench once for the Under-23 side in the EFL Trophy at Harrogate and has since drifted away from the reserve team picture. Sources in London are suggesting the youngster - who United once had high hopes for - was allowed to leave Newcastle's Little Benton training base.
Flaherty can play as a winger or through the middle and scored seven goals and made three assists in his first season for Newcastle. He will now try his luck at QPR in West London after initially joining the black and whites after spells with Arsenal and West Ham United.
Flaherty has been pencilled in for a debut for QPR's reserve side at Millwall on Tuesday. Newcastle are expected to announce a clutch of contracts and departures from the second string later this year.
Newcastle signed Flaherty in 2020 but after two years on Tyneside, he returns to the capital. Once described as a Football Manager whizzkid, Flaherty must now prove his worth for QPR's Under-23s.
Sir Alex Ferguson message for Eddie Howe but Newcastle United boss is focused on just one thing
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe was quick to play down any references linking him with Sir Alex Ferguson over the weekend.
After getting through the 2-0 win over Brentford, Howe was asked about the Fergie references from co-owners Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi who spoke of a long-term Manchester United style project in which they see Howe at the centre of it all.
The Ripon financier's comments are backed up by quotes from last year from Ferguson himself who said in 2021: "On young managers, Eddie Howe had a great period at Bournemouth, for a young manager.
"I think he did very well even though he's relegated it doesn't mean to say he's not a good manager, I think he is a good manager."
What Eddie Howe told players in meeting at team hotel shows how Newcastle mentality has changed
Ryan Fraser has revealed that Eddie Howe gave Newcastle United's 'hunters' added motivation at the team hotel before the win against Brentford.
The Magpies had the chance to not only move four points clear of the relegation zone with a victory in London on Saturday but, also, to leapfrog the Bees into 14th place.
That was an unimaginable prospect not so long ago. Indeed, at one point last month, Brentford were a whopping 12 points clear of Newcastle in the table.
However, Newcastle have since embarked on their best run in the top-flight in more than a decade and Howe's side were full of confidence ahead of the game.
While Newcastle were well-briefed on Brentford's strengths, particularly from set-pieces, the Magpies' predominant focus was on how they could hurt the Bees out wide with overlaps and underlaps, which shows how the team's mentality has changed under Howe.
Goalscorer Joe Willock said his 'hungry' side came with the 'attitude' that they were the hunters after Howe's speech and Fraser elaborated on that team talk following the 2-0 win against 10-men Brentford.
Newcastle fans all say the same thing after Kieran Trippier's 'leadership' cameo at Brentford
Newcastle United made it four wins in five matches as they comfortably defeated Brentford 2-0 in the capital.
First half goals from Joelinton and Joe Willock earned the Magpies a vital three points to help Eddie Howe’s side move up to 14 th in the Premier League.
One talking point off the field from Saturday’s affair that has Newcastle fans buzzing is the appearance of Kieran Trippier at the Brentford Community Stadium.
Trippier is currently out injured after fracturing a bone in his foot during the win over Aston Villa earlier this month, but he still made sure he travelled down south to show his support to his teammates.
In his short time at the club, the 31-year-old has already established himself as a leader in the dressing room, with Saturday just another example of that.
