Newcastle United fell to a frustrating 1-0 defeat at the Emirates on Sunday afternoon – a result which takes the Champions League qualification hopes to the final day against Everton.
United could, and perhaps, should’ve won on Sunday but they were undone by a quality long range effort from Declan Rice after a poor giveaway from Anthony Gordon presented the ball to Bukayo Saka.
We had a clutch of excellent chances in the first half and will feel they should’ve gone in at halftime a goal or two up but the quality deserted the Black and Whites down in north London.
Here are our five key takeaways from the game:
I don’t understand why Barnes, who has been in excellent form, is shoved out of position to accommodate an out-of-sorts Gordon on the left side!
Eddie Howe has been excellent this season (especially since Christmas) and I still think he can take us up another level, but the accommodation of Gordon, who has been awful since he got himself sent off in the FA Cup, in his preferred position, at the expense of Barnes, is akin to continuing to share a house with an ex because neither of you can afford to move out – awkward and uncomfortable.
Gordon has really slipped (quality and effort wise – Ben White skinned him a couple of times on Sunday and his reaction to giving the ball away for Arsenals goal was lazy) since that incident in the cup and, if we had a stronger squad, I’d say he needs to be benched against in his former club.
However, with injury concerns lingering over Alexander Isak, we’re going to need him badly against Everton – let’s hope he can step up to the plate.
1. **You have to score when you’re on top**
Frustration is the word – we should’ve scored two or three in a dominant first half display but you’ve got to score when you’re on top.
There were some good performances, in the main, with Bruno, Tino, Botman and Burn standing out in the opening 20 minutes, during which United had five great chances.
Isak being ruled out late, according to Eddie Howe, he travelled and had a scan in London – that’s how late his injury came – was a massive blow and highlights the need to strengthen in that position in the summer.
It’s time. Callum Wilson, thank you very much for your service to Newcastle United; you single-handedly kept us in the league under the previous manager, you were incredible in 2022/23 helping fire us to the Champions League, you’ve had a career where you’ve proven people wrong over and over, from Coventry to Bournemouth to Newcastle, but it’s time to shake hands and say that’s it.
He was, frankly, awful in this game. He can’t run anymore (he doesn’t look like he is going to get on the end of anything), he looks weak, he isn’t reading the game anymore (and actively hindered a couple of progressive moves on Sunday) and I maintain that if Will Osula had been on the pitch in that first half we could’ve got something from the game.
Osula showed some good touches when he came on, with a lovely cute back heel to Bruno who laid it on to Barnes who blazed over midway through the second half, but it’s incredibly clear – United need to sign a back up striker in the summer or a lad who can play across the front three.
1. **Evolving into a very good team**
Now for the first of two big positives. The measure of control United had in the first half was very encouraging – despite the defeat. Their goalkeeper was man of the match, they only had one real moment of quality across the whole game and United were dominant in the first half and should’ve scored two or three.
There’re areas of the team where the drop in quality is levels below what we need (up front as has been discussed and on the right wing – it’s been a godsend Murphy has played as well as he has since Almiron was sold in January and stayed fit) and if the stories in the press are to be believed, the club know it too, and have earmarked £150m to spend this summer.
But there are clear signs that United are becoming a top class side capable of going to other top sides and playing well and feeling frustrated at a defeat. They say sequels are never as good as the first instalment (Terminator 2 aside) but this side (with a few additions) has the quality to take the next step and challenge for footballs biggest prizes next season.
1. **It’s still in our own hands**
The good thing about the weekend is that even with the defeat, our final position, our fate, is still in our hands. Beat Everton (who may be on the beach and drained from that Goodison goodbye) and we’re in.
Yes, it promises to be a nervy final weekend, especially if Isak is missing, but the Toffees will be without both starting centre-backs in Branthwaite an Tarkowski.
It’ll be a day for transistor radios at St James’ Park (due to the Gallowgate West Corner having literally no signal) as there are still a lot of permutations at play with how results have fallen over the last few days.
Safe to say it’ll be a final weekend of the Premier League season that’ll result in fingernails (and possibly fingers) being chewed to death.
However, we’ve won six league games in a row at home, the atmosphere will be brilliant and the players have already shown their ability to step up on the big stage this season.
Keep the faith. HWTL