The second big home win in the space of five days as a stunning display and brilliant brace from Sandro Tonali helped book our place in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.
The Italian was everywhere, snapping into tackles, recovering the ball constantly, picking forward passes quickly and showing impressive pace all over the pitch; and that’s before his two goals that ultimately won us the game!
The media in Italy have tried their best to link him with a return to Serie A this week or suggest he’s unsettled on Tyneside, but his complete performance and passionate celebrations were not that of a man who wants out! He was I sensational and thrived in that No.6 role again, combining beautifully with Bruno.
It’s a huge win and another major step in the right direction as we bid to find genuine momentum in the middle of such a stop-start season. Arsenal, Liverpool or Spurs/Man Utd await in the semis, but the only blemish on a brilliant night was bookings for Bruno and Schar, who are now suspended for the first leg.
The first half was filled with more yellow cards than efforts on goal. We by no means hit top gear in a sometimes scrappy opening 45, but had Tonali to thank as we headed into the break two up and with one foot in the semis without really getting out of third gear.
His opener was a brilliant low strike from the edge of the box. He did superbly to keep his first-time effort down and smashed past Flekken before celebrating like a man delighted to double his tally for the club in such a crucial game.
After Joelinton was left raging after a clash with Collins left him needing treatment, 1-0 could’ve become two 10 minutes before the break. Schar picked out Gordon with a quick diagonal, but he blazed his effort well over after cutting in on his right.
Then came Tonali’s second, as the unmarked Italian was able to nonchalantly volley home Hall’s looping corner, taking his tall for the club from one to three in just 45 minutes. It was an awful goal for Brentford to concede and reminiscent of our static defending at the GTech a few weeks back, but we didn’t care and were the beneficiaries this time, going into the break 2-0 up.
Murphy went close to making it 3-0 shortly before the half-time whistle, smashing the post after a lovely one-two between Bruno and Tonali.
Joelinton went down shortly towards the end of the first half and he didn’t come out for the second, seeing Joe Willock take his place down the left of our midfield three.
Our first opening after the break came via a smart short corner, much like Murphy’s opener against Leicester. This time it was Gordon and Hall combining before Isak shot over from the cut back, but it was great to see.
Gordon and Murphy were next to go close after cutting in from either wing and firing just wide, until we finally got our third to kill off any slim hope of a Brentford comeback. Hall’s shot was parried by Flekken and Bruno reacted first, squaring for Schar to tap in from a few yards out.
A triple substitution followed as Howe brought on Osula, Almiron and Trippier for Isak, Murphy and Hall, who was wisely taken off to ensure he too didn’t get banned for the semi-final first leg.
As he often does from the bench, Barnes was lively and went close by hitting the post before Dubravka was called into action at the other end, saving Wissa’s one-on-one after the striker ghosted in behind Schar.
Amusing cries of “SHOOOT” came whenever Tonali touched the ball and he wasn’t far off scoring a hat-trick, having a few powerful efforts blocked as we attacked the Gallowgate end in search of a fourth.
In stoppage time, our clean sheet was wiped after substitute Mbeumo got in down their right and squared for Wissa to score, although we weren’t far off making it 4-1 a minute later, as Osula burst into the box and pulled the trigger, only to be denied by Ajer’s brilliant saving tackle.
So, another comfortable home win that sends us into the semi finals of the cup and to Saturday’s trip to Ipswich on a high.
Howay the lads!
STARTING XI: Dubravka – Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall – Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton – Murphy, Isak, Gordon.
SUBS: Vlachodimos, Barnes, Willock, Osula, Kelly, Targett, Almiron, Miley, Trippier.