Newcastle United duo Bruno Guimaraes and Miguel Almiron have been named in Garth Crooks' BBC Premier League team of the week. The Magpies defeated Brentford 5-1 at St James' Park on Saturday as Guimaraes bagged a brace and Almiron netted Newcastle's fourth.
Although Crooks was heavily critical of Brentford's performance, the former Stoke City and Tottenham forward was full of praise for Guimaraes.
"Brentford and Ivan Toney looked a shadow of the side who destroyed Leeds a few weeks ago. Meanwhile, Bruno Guimaraes is playing out of his skin for Newcastle," Crooks wrote in his weekly BBC column.
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"The Brazilian's performance in the 5-1 thrashing of the Bees was quite outstanding. He intercepted the ball from the halfway line for his second goal, dribbled to the edge of the Brentford penalty box and struck a lovely shot past David Raya."
Almiron equalled his personal record for goals in a single Premier League season with his fourth goal in nine league appearances. The Paraguayan capitalised on a weak back pass from Ethan Pinnock and rounded Brentford goalkeeper Raya to fire home. Almiron was named in Crooks' team for the second successive week after scoring a brace in Newcastle's 4-1 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Crooks wrote: "Why are defenders trying to play in and around their penalty area when they don't have the technical ability to produce clever football?
"They aren't Gerard Pique or Carlos Puyol, defenders who have been schooled in the art of possession football in the white-hot pressure cauldron of Barcelona's Nou Camp. So why try it away at St James' Park when you're under the cosh and your job is simply to defend your goal?
"Giving players the licence and responsibility to play outside their comfort zone cost Brentford three points against Newcastle. Miguel Almiron on the other hand was in great form and made Brentford pay dearly for such folly."
Crooks' XI (3-4-3): D de Gea (Man Utd); K Koulibaly (Chelsea), C Dawson (West Ham), J Cancelo (Man City); P Foden (Man City), B Guimaraes (Newcastle), C Kouyate (Nottingham Forest), M Almiron (Newcastle); B Saka (Arsenal), C Ronaldo (Man Utd), K Havertz (Chelsea).
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