Perez shines as Newcastle go top despite three injury blows
Bruised and battered, Newcastle are back on top of the Championship. The year has not started particularly well for Rafa Benítez and here he suffered three injuries en route to a hard-fought victory.
Dwight Gayle, Isaac Hayden and Vurnon Anita were all forced from the field, with hamstring, groin and ankle injuries respectively.
“I am sure that the fans will be very proud of the team today because they worked very hard in a difficult situation,” said Benítez. “We had to play with five at the back and defended really well.”
This time next year, Benítez will hope to begin 2018 firmly ensconced in the comfort of the Premier League’s mid-table. That plan is still on track but, following a festive wobble which had seen the Magpies lose four times in eight games, it has not been plain sailing, and at Griffin Park they were under siege for much of the second half.
Things had started well, all the early pressure came from Newcastle with Gayle forcing a save from Daniel Bentley and seeing another shot hit the side netting. On 20 minutes Gayle then became the first Magpies player since Alan Shearer in 2003-04 to score 20 league goals in a season as he evaded the Bees offside trap to race down the right flank and strike emphatically into the top left corner after Ayoze Pérez’s clever pass.
Just eight minutes later, Gayle’s afternoon was over as he went down clutching his hamstring. “It’s a pity because the way that he was playing, he was on fire and now we lose him for some games,” said Benítez.
Pérez was one of eight changes Benítez made for this game and the Spaniard looked sophisticated playing behind Gayle and his replacement Daryl Murphy.
Newcastle’s defence had lacked assurance in the first half and Brentford seized their opportunity shortly after the break when Andreas Bjelland’s shot rebounded to Lasse Vibe who lashed it in.
The Denmark international will have an important role to play at Griffin Park following the expected departure of Scott Hogan. With a reported fee of £15 million agreed with West Ham for the striker, manager Dean Smith opted to keep Hogan on the bench, perhaps protecting his asset ahead of the move. “There’s been a lot of speculation and offers for Scott. I decided not to select him for the long-term interests of the football club,” said Smith, who added his side were “unfortunate not to win the game, let alone get a point.” With Brentford smelling blood, they thought they had taken the lead as Vibe raced clear down the right and dinked the ball over Karl Darlow, but it hit the far post and rolled agonisingly along the goal-line. Things were going awry for Benítez, but with a patched up team retreating in the face of fierce home pressure Newcastle scored against the run of play. The moment of class came from Pérez as he collected Jack Colback’s pass and crossed brilliantly with the outside of his right foot for Murphy to glance into the far corner on only his second league appearance for the club. “He was always a very good example for the others, a very good professional. His attitude has been perfect,” said Benítez of the 33-year-old. Substitute Jota forced an excellent save from Darlow in added time but the Magpies survived and returned to their lofty perch.