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Opinion

No wonder this Newcastle v Brighton starting 11 seemed so different – Astonishing 10 changes

2 years ago
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At 2pm on Saturday, the Newcastle v Brighton starting eleven was unveiled.

Eddie Howe going with the same team for a third match in a row, the players responding with a battling performance to make it five wins from their last six Premier League games.

The Newcastle United Head Coach deciding not to change a winning team, despite a number of players pushing for a start.

No doubt plenty of fans would have included one or more of Bruno Guimaraes, Allan Saint-Maximin and Javier Manquillo.

Newcastle United certainly having one of their strongest benches of the season for this Newcastle v Brighton clash, as Federico Fernandez couldn’t even make the 20 man match day squad, having to give up his place to the returning Allan Saint-Maximin.

So this was the Newcastle v Brighton (5 March 2022) starting eleven as United won 2-1:

Martin Dubravka, Emil Krafth, Fabian Schar, Dan Burn, Matt Targett, Joe Willock, Jonjo Shelvey, Joelinton, Ryan Fraser, Jacob Murphy, Chris Wood

Saturday’s excellent victory was in sharp contrast to the shambles last season that we saw for Newcastle v Brighton, Steve Bruce overseeing a 3-0 hammering for NUFC on the south coast AND also an embarrassing 3-0 home defeat to Graham Potter’s men at St James Park.

Quite remarkable looking back at that Newcastle v Brighton (20 September 2020) starting eleven last season:

Karl Darlow, Javier Manquillo, Jamaal Lascelles, Federico Fernandez, Jamal Lewis, Jeff Hendrick, Jonjo Shelvey, Isaac Hayden, Allan Saint-Maximin, Andy Carroll, Callum Wilson

Astonishing to see that in the space of only one season, ten (TEN) changes to the starting eleven. Only Jonjo Shelvey featuring in both Newcastle v Brighton starting elevens and this could easily have been all eleven players changed, as nobody would have complained if Bruno Guimaraes had replaced Shelvey on Saturday. The Brazil international surely a strong contender to get his first start for Newcastle on Thursday, when United travel to Southampton.

Whilst injuries and new signings have of course played a part, you look back to last season under Steve Bruce and for example in this home hammering by Brighton, he had the likes of Joelinton and Ryan Fraser unable to get a game, whilst Jeff Hendrick and Andy Carroll were starting…

Ryan Fraser and Joelinton were arguably Newcastle’s two best players in Saturday’s win over Brighton and indeed, the Scotland international is one of the nominations for February’s Premier League player of the month, whilst Joelinton won February’s Newcastle United player of the month, voted by United fans and announced on Saturday.

Of course, pretty much every single player has looked fitter and more capable under Eddie Howe, though arguably Joelinton and Ryan Fraser are at the very top of the list who have been grateful to see Steve Bruce replaced by somebody that they now have such massive belief in, after the shambles that they had experienced under the previous occupant of the hot seat.

Stats from BBC Sport:

Newcastle 2 Brighton 1 – Saturday 5 March 3pm

Goals:

Brighton:

Dunk 55

Newcastle:

Fraser 12, Schar 14

Possession was Brighton 68% Newcastle 32%

Total shots were Brighton 15 Newcastle 10

Shots on target were Brighton 4 Newcastle 4

Corners were Brighton 7 Newcastle 4

Referee: Martin Atkinson

Crowd: 52,214

Newcastle United:

Dubravka, Krafth, Schar, Burn, Targett, Willock (Longstaff 90+4), Shelvey, Joelinton, Fraser (Guimaraes 79), Murphy (Saint-Maximin 64), Wood

Unused Subs:

Darlow, Dummett, Manquillo, Gayle, Lascelles, Almiron

(3 Positives and 3 Negatives from Newcastle 2 Brighton 1 – Read HERE)

(Match Report – Newcastle United or Brighton? ‘Now all I would swap is the weather’ – Read HERE)

(Graham Potter admits painful truth after Newcastle United make it 5 wins in 6 matches – Read HERE)

(Newcastle 2 Brighton 1 – Match ratings and comments on all the NUFC players – Read HERE)

(Newcastle 2 Brighton 1 – Instant NUFC fan / writer reaction to Saturday’s massive victory – Read HERE)

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