Newcastle rides Callum Wilson penalty to snap winless run, top Brentford

Here are Callum Wilson’s thoughts after the win, as the veteran striker clearly was peeved to play second fiddle the past few weeks

Eddie Howe started Wilson over Alexander Isak on Saturday and has rarely started the strikers together. Wilson converted a penalty for the lone goal of this win.

Quotes from the BBC:

“It’s about time I got a start, I’ve been waiting for the last few weeks. All I can do is perform and try and do myself justice. I tried to help the team to win ugly today and as a number nine that’s our job.”

“Today was the only thing in my mind. We know next week is a big week for the fans and the club but this is our bread and butter, If we want to stay a Champions League club we have to win these games.”

A step forward for Nick Pope with his clean sheet. The ex-Burnley man posted two saves and nine recoveries for the Magpies.

Bryan Mbeumo struggled to affect the game for Brentford, while Mark Flekken gave away the penalty on a day the numbers say his backs did enough to support him.

Newcastle vs Brentford player ratings (fotmob.com)

It wasn’t what we wanted from this match-up of usually-fun teams, but it’s a fair result for the hosts.

Newcastle held 56% of the ball and had the shots advantage prior to taking the leads.

Brentford finished with 11 shots to the Magpies’ nine, while the hosts had much more danger to the tune of 1.43 xG to 0.54. That excludes the penalty, too.

And if Newcastle fans needed to know how large Sven Botman looms in their success, his return showed in a much stronger defensive display.

Onto Europe.

Harvey Barnes goes up for a cross and heads the ball back across goal, posted up on Bryan Mbeumo.

VAR takes a look at the call, as Mbeumo is facing away from the cross and doesn’t see the ball come down onto his raised hand.

The penalty is wiped away, and that’s the right call in a just world. No intent.

Harvey Barnes sweeps a big cross to the back post. Anthony Gordon should be there but is late-arriving.

Brentford keeper Mark Flekken slides for the ball and Gordon runs into him, perhaps as the ball is already over the line.

But a penalty is awarded and VAR does not intervene in favor of Flekken.

Callum Wilson goes to the spot. Callum Wilson does not miss.

Newcastle, 1-0.

It was going to take a bounce to deliver a breakthrough, but will Callum Wilson’s bundled close-range finish to stand?

No. Callum Wilson eventually tapped home a rebound but it’s largely because Wilson had a hold of Brentford keeper Mark Flekken’s arm as the backstop tried to leap for an initial aerial offering.

This game is peak scrappy.

Newcastle has really frustrated the Bees after the visitors’ bright early play.

The Magpies have drawn two yellow cards and it could’ve been three or four, with seven fouls from Brentford compared to the hosts’ three.

Newcastle is controlling the ball and ahead on expected goals and shot attempts. Will Eddie Howe continue to rest Sandro Tonali and Alexander Isak with Champions League play ahead this week, or go for it?

And will Thomas Frank look to Kevin Schade or Neal Maupay with Yoane Wissa on yellow and Brentford missing a certain something on the day?

Rico Henry is in a 1v1 in the Newcastle final third and his knee just buckles on the turf.

It doesn’t look good, even as Henry is eventually able to limp off without a stretcher or help.

Mads Roerslev quickly readies to take his place.

Get well soon, Rico.

0-0 nearing halftime.

The Magpies have been a bit brighter for a few minutes and Fabian Schar wins a corner kick with a long deflected shot, Newcastle’s first shot of the night.

Bruno Guimaraes is denied an opener by Mark Flekken on the ensuing corner, and the next corner sees Dan Burn’s header blocked by Nathan Collins.

0-0, 30'

Brentford buzzed out of the gate but there’s since been lots of fighting for the front foot.

The Bees will know that Sean Longstaff and Elliot Anderson starting over Joelinton (knee) and Sandro Tonali (bench) gives them a chance to control the heart of the game.

But they’ll also bear their fair share of bruises, as this Newcastle side may be a bit sloppier yet more ornery with both Harvey Barnes and Anthony Gordon annoying down the wings.

Sandro Tonali either isn’t passed fully fit or is being rested for the trip to his boyhood club AC Milan, while Miguel Almiron and Alexander Isak also start on the bench.

Eddie Howe will know the threat presented by Brentford but will be super relieved to be playing a not-huge name at Newcastle’s hallowed grounds.

But the bigger question is whether Howe’s loyalty to his Starting XI will remain the same, hopeful that the change in opposition makes Miguel Almiron and Anthony Gordon more productive. All told, a team with a win and three losses has eight players who’ve played 300+ minutes while Callum Wilson (76 minutes) and Harvey Barnes (70 minutes) have looked bright in very limited time.

Joe Willock and Emil Krafth remain out of the lineup, while we await updates on the statuses of Sven Botman, Sandro Tonali, Javi Manquillo, and Elliot Anderson.

The Bees have been dangerous in most of their games but have only truly stopped an opponent once — in the 3-0 win at Fulham that very much abides by the score line.

Brentford, like Newcastle, has been trying to fight fire with fire when it comes to attacking and defending, though it has to be acknowledged that the Bees have played a decidedly weaker schedule and saw Bournemouth hang 3+ expected goals on the board in a fortunate 2-2 draw.

Ivan Toney, Joshua Dasilva, and Shandon Baptiste are the unavailable, while Mikkel Damsgaard’s status is in question.

Four-goal Bryan Mbeumo has been fantastic to start the season and Mathias Jensen has been pulling the strings behind him.