Newcastle powered past a lackluster Crystal Palace 4-0 side on Saturday to move up to 5th in the Premier League table.
Here are the five things that we learned from the result:
Tonali’s last minutes?
With news emerging this week that Sandro Tonali has admitted to betting on AC Milan while a player there, the Italian international is facing a lengthy ban from football. Eddie Howe admitted before the game he has a call to make on the midfielder, and while Tonali did come on as a substitute in the 69th minute of the game, it could be several months before the Geordie faithful see Tonali play for Newcastle again. The Italian international arrived in Tyneside this summer and has become a mainstay in Eddie Howe’s squad when fit, often running the show in the Newcastle midfield. Tonali will certainly be a big miss for Eddie Howe’s side, and if they are to compete on all four fronts this season the club very well may have to invest and bolster the midfield options in the upcoming January transfer window.
Joelinton off the ball
After a somewhat lengthy spell on the side-lines due to a hamstring injury, Joelinton returned to the starting eleven in the match versus Crystal Palace. The Brazilian international has played just four minutes of Premier League football since mid-September, and his lack of minutes was clear versus Palace. Joelinton struggled to make an impact on the game, and with Tonali facing a lengthy ban from football, it is paramount the Brazilian returns to his best form sooner rather than later.
Murphy takes his chance
With Miguel Almirón once again finding himself in good form to start the season, Jacob Murphy had only started two out of Newcastle’s 12 games before the game versus Crystal Palace. Murphy was preferred over Almirón versus the Eagles, and rewarded Howe’s decision with an extremely impressive performance. The Englishman was everywhere in the final third, making clever runs into the box and often finding his teammates in potentially profitable positions. Murphy opened his account for the season in the fourth minute with a well taken finish, and provided the assist for the Magpies’ second goal. With such an impressive performance against the Eagles, Murphy has certainly given Eddie Howe a selection headache when choosing who to play off the right flank.
Marc Guéhi
After returning from England duty during the international break, Marc Guéhi continued his impressive start to the season versus Newcastle. Despite an unlucky slip which played Sean Longstaff through to score Newcastle’s third, the Palace centre-half hardly put a foot wrong on the day. Guéhi was matched up against his compatriot and fellow England international Callum Wilson, and kept the Newcastle number nine largely quiet in the first half while he was defending him. Guéhi remained composed on the ball and commanded the Palace back line, often winning back possession in what could have resulted in fruitful avenues for the Magpies. With the European Championships looming next summer, Guéhi will be looking to continue his impressive form and push for a starting spot in Gareth Southgate’s side come June.
Battle of the keepers
With Jordan Pickford and Aaron Ramsdale firmly Gareth Southgate’s number one and number two choice goalkeepers, there remains a third and final shot-stopper spot in the squad for the upcoming European championships. Both Nick Pope and Sam Johnstone have been called up for England duty while Southgate has been manager, with the latter earning his latest cap this month in England’s friendly versus Australia. Pope had the better performance on the day, commanding his area and keeping a clean sheet. While Johnstone has been called up to the England squad more recently, Pope is certainly pushing to be the third and final name on England’s goalkeeper list for Euro 2024.
