Newcastle 2 Brentford 1: Did Tonali mean it? Post-trophy hangover avoided

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Newcastle United started life as Carabao Cup winners by claiming a hard-fought victory over Brentford at St James’ Park, bolstering their hopes of securing Champions League qualification.

Eddie Howe’s men moved fifth thanks to goals from Alexander Isak, on the stroke of half-time, and Sandro Tonali, who scored the 74th-minute winner with a finish from a seemingly impossible angle on the right wing.

Bryan Mbeumo had equalised from the spot, following Nick Pope’s foul on Yoane Wissa, and Ethan Pinnock hit the post when the scores were level, but Newcastle retook the lead and then managed to see the game out, despite a late claim for another penalty from the visitors.

The Athletic’s Chris Waugh and George Caulkin analyse the key talking points from the game.

Tonali’s screamer seals it – but did he mean it?

Could Tonali really have been trying to score from a position almost on the right touchline?

Does it actually matter? Newcastle fans — and Howe — will not care whether it was intentional or a mishit cross (as the club’s account appeared to suggest on X.). Tonali delivered a goal out of nothing at precisely the time Newcastle needed it.

From the moment Pope caught Wissa with a sliding challenge and Mbeumo equalised from the spot in the 66th minute, momentum swung Brentford’s way. Ethan Pinnock headed a Kevin Schade cross on to the left-hand post, when he should have scored, and it was the visitors who were looking the more likely to score again.

Yet, in the 74th minute, Tonali, who found himself on the right flank, overlapped Harvey Barnes, who passed to the midfielder. Having looked up, potentially spotting Mark Flekken a couple of yards off his line and noticing that no Newcastle player had attacked the near post, Tonali arrowed the ball into the box with his right foot.

There was definite whip and movement on the cross-cum-shot, suggesting Tonali may have been intending for a fade and for the ball to end up in the Brentford net. But the angle and his proximity to the goal means it is questionable whether Tonali would be as audacious as to shoot from such a position.

Whether by accident or design, Tonali’s produced a match winning contribution.

Tonali celebrates his winner vs Brentford (Stu Forster/Getty Images)

A goal that wasn’t and goal that was

“Why didn’t you finish?”

Harvey Barnes’ looked dumbfounded. He had put the ball into an empty net, but instinctively knew he was offside.

Isak had done what Isak does — embarrassing Ethan Pinnock by peeling off the defender, before tormenting another Brentford centre-back, Nathan Collins, by jinking inside and outside of him — and was one on one with Mark Flekken. Unselfishly, rather than shoot, he spotted Barnes unmarked to his left and dinked a delightful ball, only for the assistant referee to immediately raise his flag.

This (correctly) disallowed goal came in first-half added time, yet Newcastle still found a way to take the lead via a legitimate goal before the break.

Starting with Nick Pope in goal, via Dan Burn in the left-back position, Newcastle completed a sweeping move up and across field, with Bruno Guimaraes playing Jacob Murphy in down the right. And, as the right-winger has done so regularly this season, including at Wembley two and a half weeks earlier, Murphy found his striker, whipping in a dangerous cross from the right.

There was a hint of fortune for Isak, with Bryan Mbeumo slipping, granting the Sweden international a clear sight of goal. Isak’s contact was not the cleanest, but his volley deflected off Mbeumo and into the net.

It was just what Newcastle needed. After a fast start, the game fell flat, on and off the field. But Isak is their game-changer and this was his 20th top-flight goal of the season, making him the first Newcastle player to reach 20 goals in successive Premier League campaigns.

Barnes may have shown frustration at Isak in that key moment, but everyone associated with Newcastle appreciates what this top-class striker brings. He is unplayable at times, as Brentford found to their cost in that moment.

Concerningly, Isak was replaced in the 66th minute, shortly after showing discomfort. He appeared alright as he left the field, but it felt precautionary at the very least to remove Isak when the scoreline was delicately poised at 1-1.

Isak scored Newcastle’s opener, before being substituted in the second half (Stu Forster/Getty Images)

The first match of a new era

Business as usual? Nobody could say with any certainty what that might look like for a Newcastle team recently transformed from perennial losers into winners.

The atmosphere, the mood was one of party. Wor Flags, the fans’ group, filled the Leazes End with a representation of the Carabao Cup before kick-off, while supporters ran through a repertoire of songs about playing in Europe next season. 

The match itself felt much more like the hard work of a hangover kicking in, but this time they navigated it, something they have not always done against mid-ranking Premier League teams this season. 

Newcastle have lost league against Brentford (away), Bournemouth, Fulham and West Ham, fixtures when their big players have not turned up and which have prompted resets. On this occasion, in spite of a wobble, it was won for them by Isak and Tonali, in startling fashion. 

It is what big players, what winners do. It may not have been pretty, but in that respect, getting the job done felt significant. 

It leaves Newcastle fifth in the Premier League, which is almost certain to be good enough to qualify for a place in the Champions League and with a game in hand over the teams above them.   Next up is Leicester City away; perhaps the party is destined to continue. 

What next for Newcastle?

Monday, April 7: Leicester City (A), Premier. League, 20:00 UK, 15:00 ET

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(Top photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images)

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