THIS IS JUST THE START!
Buoyant Newcastle dream big after a year to remember
NEWCASTLE 0 LEEDS 0
IT SAYS much about the progress Newcastle have made that, after this draw against a stubborn Leeds, their supporters found consolation in Manchester City also dropping points. Twelve months ago, the results of another City were their chief concern — Norwich, the only team keeping them from the bottom of the Premier League. Boss Eddie Howe says he does not care for what Arsenal, City and Liverpool are doing right now. But there will come a time when he does, when the significance of Newcastle’s own results is aligned to the fate of their rivals. Rivals, that is, for Champions League football. There has been a gradual escalation of expectation — from summer talk of a top-10 finish to autumnal optimism of Europe and then, last week, questions about winning the title. Even defeat at Arsenal tomorrow would not be reason to temper the buoyancy around the club. Not when they have just signed off from 2022 with one home defeat, in April against Liverpool, and are in the midst of a 12-game unbeaten run that ranks as their best in the topflight for 98 years. Co-owner Mehrdad Ghodoussi sought to apply perspective. ‘The last 12 months have been an incredible journey for all of us. Through hard work, persistence and determination, we have finished the year third in the league. Our journey has only just started.’
What they have done, primarily because of Howe, is accelerated that journey. When the Saudiled takeover was signed off 15 months ago, there was an acceptance that, over time, money would see Newcastle stride to the top. What folk did not anticipate was their step to be quickened by a coach who has extracted the maximum and more from players previously put down as not good enough for this division. Six of his most regular starters were part of the side 19th last Christmas. Graeme Souness and Jamie Carragher say Howe was the best manager of 2022. Of Newcastle’s six losses, only a 99th-minute concession at Everton in March came against a team outside the top six.
So, can they win the league? Not when their squad depth runs so quickly into shallow waters. An injury to either centre back Sven Botman or midfielder Bruno Guimaraes would, you suspect, be felt more keenly than City losing Erling Haaland or Kevin De Bruyne.
That is now the challenge, to complement Howe’s coaching and standards by providing him with better players. Ultimately, no matter how far he pushes back the boundaries of what we thought capable, key moments will arrive when quality wins the day. Take Saturday. Foundations of another collective display were in place, yet it all came crashing down in front of goal. Chris Wood, Sean Longstaff and Fabian Schar all missed chances they should have scored.
But Leeds deserve credit, too. Jesse Marsch had a plan — somewhat removed from the attacking principles he preaches — but it worked as Leeds abbreviated this contest to 48 minutes of in-play action. Howe will now have to guard against a blueprint being set, of opponents coming here and being delighted to escape with a point. But that, too, is a sign of Newcastle’s progress.
NEWCASTLE UTD (4-3-3): Pope 6.5; Trippier 6.5, Schar 6.5, Botman 6.5, Burn 6.5; Guimaraes 6, Longstaff 5.5, Willock 6 (Saint-Maximin 64min, 6); Almiron 6.5 (Murphy 84), Joelinton 6, Wood 5 (Wilson 64, 6). Booked: Trippier, Wilson, Guimaraes. Manager: Eddie Howe 6.5. LEEDS UTD (4-2-3-1): MESLIER 8; Ayling 6 (Kristensen 70, 6), Koch 6.5, Cooper 7, Struijk 6.5; Forshaw 6.5 (Roca 46, 6.5), Adams 7; Harrison 5.5 (Klich 64, 6), Aaronson 6, Gnonto 6 (Summerville 70, 5.5); Rodrigo 6 (Gelhardt 82). Booked: Ayling, Struijk, Roca, Gnonto, Meslier. Manager: Jesse Marsch 6.5. Referee: Simon Hooper 6. Attendance: 52,211.