Carabao Cup quarter-final: Newcastle United 3 (Tonali 9, 43; Schär 69) Brentford 1 (Wissa 90)
A sticking plaster for Newcastle’s internal tensions or a potential long-term cure for their problems? Whatever the reality Eddie Howe’s inconsistent team are a two-leg semi-final away from a potentially transformative Wembley showpiece after two stellar first-half goals from Sandro Tonali and another from Fabian Schär undid an immensely disappointing Brentford on Tyneside.
As Tonali controlled the pace of the tie and Howe’s hope of ending his club’s long decades without a trophy endured, Thomas Frank’s players wilted beneath the floodlights. Well before Yoane Wissa’s academic stoppage-time goal reduced the deficit they looked to have checked in for their flight back to London.
Rumours are rife that Tonali could be destined for a £45 million return to his beloved Milan or a similarly priced moved to Juventus in January but, right now, the Italy midfielder seems indispensable to Howe. Ever since Newcastle’s manager offered Tonali a deeper role at the heart of midfield – turning him into a flexible No 6 and Bruno Guimarães into more of a fluid No 8 – he and his wonderful passing range have looked near irreplaceable. Tonali scores the odd goal too, something he reminded everyone of as Republic of Ireland international Nathan Collins cleared Tino Livramento’s cross straight into his path and he sent a perfectly calibrated shot flying beyond Mark Flekken.
Collins had originally been named on Brentford’s bench but, when Sepp van den Berg injured himself in the warm-up, he was promoted to the starting line-up. To Frank’s considerable frustration it was not long before he needed to reshuffle his back three once more after Ethan Pinnock hobbled off to be replaced by Mads Roerslev.
Not that Brentford intended to surrender. Wissa thought he should have been awarded a penalty after Martin Dubravka appeared to catch the forward’s heel after he latched on to Kevin Schade’s smart pass and rounded the goalkeeper. Sam Barrott, the referee, did not buy a claim that would have been extremely hard on Dubravka but, had VAR been operational, it is not impossible that the outcome could have been different.
Howe looked more worried about the manner in which Newcastle’s performance had dipped from a high-tempo, ferociously intense beginning to a tentative, edgy display as the tie began drifting towards half-time.
Though it hardly helped the home cause that Guimarães needed to watch his step after collecting a booking for stamping on Vitaly Janelt, it was easy to see why these sides are level on points in mid-table in the Premier League. Or at least it was until Tonali struck again from a set piece and nervous Newcastle fans finally felt it safe to recall that, while Frank’s team excel at home, they often exhibit a strange timidity on the road and have still to win away this season.
Sure enough, memories of Howe’s team surrendering 4-2 in west London earlier this month were largely extinguished as Tonali connected with Anthony Gordon’s looping corner and directed a fine volley past the helpless Flekken. If Brentford’s defence was hardly exemplary, their organisation was disrupted by a decoy manoeuvre on the part of Joelinton who, in a move bearing the hallmark of Howe’s assistant Jason Tindall’s training ground ingenuity, revelled in distracting two supposed markers.
Frank could have done with similar ruthless efficiency from his players but, bar a free-kick floated off target by Keane Lewis-Potter, they offered precious little menace and seemed to be running out of attacking ideas. Tonali’s ability to slow down the game whenever Wissa and co attempted to alter the second half narrative proved crucial and will surely be even more essential if his side are to win the Carabao Cup.
In truth, Tonali and Newcastle had already done enough to ensure fans could dream about Howe’s players finally ending a domestic trophy drought stretching back to 1955 even before Schär tapped in the third after Guimarães rolled the ball selflessly across the face of goal. Maybe, just maybe, Howe’s season is destined for a happy ending after all. – Guardian
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