Amid the ups and downs of this season, Sven Botman's return to fitness and form has been a huge boost
Dominic Solanke of Tottenham Hotspur has a shot blocked by Sven Botman of Newcastle United
Newcastle United's Sven Botman blocks a shot from Tottenham's Dominic Solanke(Image: Getty Images)
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It may have gone relatively under the radar in a rain-soaked Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday night, but I'm sure Eddie Howe would have taken notice.
Newcastle United's 2-1 victory was inspired by some attacking flair and midfield dynamism, but more than backed up by resolute defending at the other end. And at the very heart of that was Sven Botman.
The Dutch stopper has had a difficult last two years, with an ACL injury meaning nine months on the sidelines. He then suffered a serious of small problems meaning he was rarely able to put a run of games together.
Meanwhile Dan Burn and Fabian Schar continued to defy the advances of age to dominate the central defensive position, and when Schar was forced out, first to concussion then to a serious knee injury, Malick Thiaw not only stepped in but established himself as one of the fist names on the teamsheet.
By contrast, when Botman did get the chance, he looked rusty and shorn of the pace which had made him an instant hit after signing from Lille in 2022. It's no wonder, in fairness, with the disrupted nature of the last two years inevitably impacting his influence on the pitch.
It was all a far cry from his first season on Tyneside, when he was an integral part of the backline which helped guide Newcastle to the Champions League in 2023.
Never one to catch the eye with dramatic late tackles or marauding runs from the back, Botman is one of those who reads the game so well than danger is often snuffed out before it happens. It's something which perhaps doesn't make the headlines, but managers and coaches love it.
There have been some who have openly wondered whether he would ever replicate those highs, but even though United have been conceding goals rather too regularly recently, Botman's performances have steadily improved.
Malick Thiaw of Newcastle United celebrates scoring with Sven Botman and Anthony Elanga
Malick Thiaw and Sven Botman are striking up a good on-field relationship(Image: Getty Images)
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He was assured in the 1-1 draw with PSG last month, and an absolute rock at Tottenham in midweek. The fact he's perhaps not back to his best yet only offers encouragement for the rest of the season.
What's more, he is establishing a very promising partnership with Thiaw. For all Newcastle need defensive additions in the summer, there's nothing to suggest the pair cannot make themselves first-choice centre-backs for years to come.
With Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall added into the equation, it makes for an exciting proposition.
Botman deserves some good fortune after all the work behind the scenes during the dark days of recovery from his surgery. That the game against Brentford was his 100th appearance for the club is significant, but the fact he made 44 of those in his first season at St James' Park shows how fragmented the last three have been.
Having him fully fit and featuring regularly is a huge boost for Howe, and could maybe ease some transfer concerns for the summer.
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