NEWCASTLE: It seemed only fitting that one year on from those jubilant takeover scenes, Newcastle United would again create a party atmosphere at St. James’ Park.
Eddie Howe’s Magpies were in rampant form on Tyneside as they put Brentford to the sword, with Bruno Guimaraes the man at the heart of it all.
The crafty Brazilian netted twice on the day from defensive midfield as he orchestrated yet another comprehensive win for United.
Miguel Almiron took his goals tally for the season to four, making him top-scorer ahead of Callum Wilson, while Jacob Murphy got his first of the campaign before an Ethan Pinnock own goal rounded things off.
While Ivan Toney netted from the spot for the visitors, as United climbed into the Premier League’s top five with three points.
Having seen off Fulham at Craven Cottage with relative ease last weekend, head coach Howe stuck with the same starting XI against the Bees.
And it was one of those who he decided to keep in the side — Murphy — who more than justified his decision, with a pacey, dynamic display, capped with the second in a blistering opening 45 at St. James’ Park.
So close to bagging a hat-trick last weekend, Almiron almost added another to his growing collection of United wonder goals. His cut in from the right was tipped wide by David Raya when it looked destined for the far corner.
Despite a dominant start, Brentford showed they can hurt anyone on the break. And they had the ball in the net with 11 minutes gone only for VAR, and referee John Brooks to rule it out.
The impressive Bryan Mbuemo found the bottom corner of Nick Pope’s goal only for Ivan Toney to be ruled out for offside, having been adjudged to have interfered with play in the build-up.
It was a let off for United, and it was not one they weren’t going to take warning of.
Vibrant in attack, full of pressing and running, and creating chances galore, it looks like only a matter of time before Newcastle score in games at the moment — and score they did on 22. It was something a little special, too.
Straight off the training pitches of the club’s Benton training base, Almiron played back to creator-in-chief, Kieran Trippier, whose high ball to the back post was nodded brilliantly past Raya for 1-0.
It was two goals to the good soon after when Raya inexplicably played the ball straight to Wilson who drove into the area and cut back for Murphy to score his first of the season.
No matter the game, no matter the opposition, every team always has a period in a game — and just after half-time was Brentford’s.
They managed to reduce the deficit when a cross was handled by Dan Burn in the area and former United frontman Toney, who never misses, to tuck home from the spot.
What’s the perfect way to answer that? A goal, of course.
And that man Bruno was again the man on the spot for United. Winning the ball back as Brentford looked to break, the Brazilian strode into wide open spaces in front of him and caressed the ball into Raya’s bottom corner.
Wilson went close to making it four when he hammered wide after a smart free-kick by Sean Longstaff put him free. The home faithful didn’t have long to wait for that fourth, however, when an error Pinnock gifted Almiron possession in the area and the Paraguayan rounded the keeper for a deserved fourth.
That bit of icing was put on the Geordie cake, one year on from those jubilant scenes, when Pinnock clipped a Joelinton cross past the helpless Raya for 5-1.
And with that, United made it nine goals in a week in the Premier League — it’s fair to say it feels like a long time since they’ve done anything remotely close to that. In fact, you have to go back two decades and the reign of the late, great Sir Bobby Robson to find a sequence where United have netted four goals in successive Premier League encounters.
All that, without really feeling like they’re firing on all cylinders. It still feels like there is more to come from Howe’s men — and long may this upward trajectory continue.
Newcastle up to 5th in Premier League after 5-1 rout of Brentford
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Newcastle up to 5th in Premier League after 5-1 rout of Brentford
- Eddie Howe’s Magpies were in rampant form on Tyneside as they put the west Londoners to the sword
Ashes batters run for cover on manic day one in Melbourne
- Twenty wickets fall on chaotic day one
- Tailender Neser top-scores for Australia with 35
MELBOURNE: Australia finished marginally on top at the end of a chaotic opening day of the fourth Ashes test after an extraordinary 20 wickets fell in front of a record crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.
Australia nightwatchman Scott Boland was four not out with Travis Head yet to score as the hosts went to stumps at four for no loss in their second innings, carrying a 46-run lead over England.
With England bowled out for 110 in reply to Australia’s first innings 152, it was the highest number of wickets in a single day at the MCG since a record 25 fell in the 1902 Ashes.
Josh Tongue took a career-best 5-45 to skittle Australia on the grassy pitch after England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to field in the traditional Boxing Day test.
But the tourists’ batters then suffered a more egregious collapse.
The batting carnage unfolded in front of a crowd of 94,199, eclipsing the stadium’s previous record of 93,013 for a day of cricket at the 2015 World Cup final.
England, who have already lost the series after three straight defeats, came into the match under a cloud following reports that some players had taken a “stag party” attitude to a trip to Noosa between the second and third tests.
But they would have been well pleased with their work in the field early on, rattling through Australia in 45.2 overs to bring tea early.
The alarm bells were soon ringing, however, as their top order collapsed before they were bowled out in 29.5 overs.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan labelled the pitch a “shocker” but Australia seamer Michael Neser, who led his team’s bowling with 4-45 and batting with 35, had no complaints.
“We know it can move real fast day one and two, and then once that wicket hardens up and dries out, it can be quite nice to bat on,” he told reporters.
Miserable series
Neser’s knock was 33 runs better than England opener Ben Duckett, who was caught for two with a loose drive at Mitchell Starc, continuing his miserable series.
New number three Jacob Bethell, the replacement for the dropped Ollie Pope, managed only one before Neser had him caught behind, while opener Zak Crawley edged Starc to Steve Smith in the slips to be out for five.
Root was then out for a 15-ball duck, his second of the series, nicking Neser behind.
Harry Brook and Stokes dug in for a 50-run partnership to trim the deficit to 86 runs but England were then blown out of the water by a triple-strike from Boland.
The pacer took 3-11 as he trapped Brook lbw for 41, bowled Jamie Smith through the gate for two and had all-rounder Will Jacks caught behind for five.
Stokes was unable to rescue England, falling for 16 with an edge off Neser to Smith at first slip.
Gus Atkinson and Tongue’s 10th-wicket stand of 19 runs appeared heroic after what had gone on before. But it was all over when Cameron Green bowled Atkinson for 28, just in time for England’s bowlers to get one wicketless over in before stumps.
Australia’s Jhye Richardson, named for his first test since the last home Ashes in 2021/22, was the only one of the hosts’ four pacers not cashing in.
Tongue bowled Smith through the gate for nine among his five wickets and has dismissed the master batter in every first-class match against him, including both times at Lord’s during the 2023 Ashes.
He also removed opener Jake Weatherald (10) and number three Marnus Labuschagne (six) as Australia lost their four top-order wickets for 51 runs.
“Bowling them out for 150-odd, I thought we did an amazing job as a bowling unit,” said Tongue.
“They’ve bowled well as well. It’s obviously a pitch that’s doing quite a bit.”
